Vladimir Putin has just begun his 25th year in power, extending his reign as the longest-serving Kremlin leader since Josef Stalin. His coming never-ending tenure started out when Boris Yeltsin handed him the presidency on the final day of 1999. Putin, a former KGB lieutenant colonel, consolidated power and decimated the political opposition. His leadership is defined by an intoxicating cocktail of nationalistic rhetoric and decisive military action.
Putin’s Public Support and Influence
All this despite Russian pollsters telling the world that Putin’s presidency has permanently kept approval ratings above 85% for his entire reign. That remarkable degree of public support has not wavered during his administration’s ongoing four-year run of success. In February 2022, he ordered thousands of Russian troops into Ukraine, framing the conflict as a pivotal moment in Russia’s relations with the West. He argues that the West has humiliated Russia since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 by expanding NATO and encroaching on Moscow’s sphere of influence.
In a recent statement, Putin expressed his hope that there would be no need to use nuclear weapons in the ongoing war in Ukraine. He remarked, “There has been no need to use those weapons … and I hope they will not be required.” This remark highlights the difficulty in navigating the line between supporting Ukraine militarily and escalating the conflict.
And even with his decades-long tenure, Putin insists he is not like other politicians. “I don’t feel like some kind of politician,” he stated, reflecting on his unique role within Russian society. He vehemently underscored his connection with the Russian people. He beamed when he announced that he shares the same air quality with millions of Americans.
Under his leadership, Putin has received harsh condemnation from dissidents who have crooned the tune of his system based on sycophancy and corruption. This pessimistic view couldn’t be more different from the aura of strength and resilience he’s working so hard to conjure. The Kremlin leader recently portrayed Russia as having sufficient strength and resources to pursue the war in Ukraine to its logical conclusion.
Putin’s Narrative on the War
The war, thus far, has fundamentally changed not just Russia’s external politics, but its internal political landscape as well. Putin’s narrative of having been provoked by the West still holds a lot of appeal among Russians. “They wanted to provoke us so that we made mistakes,” he articulated, framing the military engagement as a defensive action rather than an act of aggression.
Through his more recorded moments, Putin’s reflections during his decades-long rule have featured personal stories that help to humanize his otherwise stoic persona. During the 2002 Nord-Ost Moscow theater crisis, he famously went to kneel in prayer. At home, Chechen militants were holding more than 900 hostages, marking his close personal ties to national calamity.
Beyond his geopolitical gamesmanship, part of Putin’s allure as a leader, at least in these carefully curated settings, has been his everyman charm. Most notably, he was recently seen inside his personal Kremlin kitchen. There, he bequeathed chocolates and a fermented Russian milk beverage to Pavel Zarubin, the crème de la crème of Kremlin correspondents. Such gestures whitewash his image, helping to humanize him and reinforcing his status as a man of the people while keeping his authority intact.
Putin is not only playing a chess game in deepening geopolitical waters but at home. As he celebrates his quarter-century in power, he shows just how deep his political cunning runs and how long the repercussions of his dangerous gambles will shape Russia’s place in the world.
Author’s Opinion
Putin’s ability to maintain control through a mix of geopolitical aggression and domestic manipulation showcases his mastery over both the Russian people and global affairs. However, the long-term consequences of his actions are becoming increasingly unpredictable, and it remains to be seen how his rule will shape Russia’s future, especially in terms of its relationship with the West.
Featured image credit: Wikimedia Commons
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