He disappeared and then reappeared; the mystery of the ten days of Putin’s absence from the scene evaporated in an instant. However, many questions remain, and where until recently everyone asked “where is Putin”, now the question is “where was Putin?”
We were all getting to like trying to skim the assumptions behind the 10 days Putin’s absence from public life. From cases of death to speculation about the health of the president, there was who – even among experienced Kremlinologists – drew the alarming picture of a power struggle within the walls of the Kremlin. Now that Putin has reappeared as an epiphany that mesmerized the media around the world (in itself a big move: Putin existence was the news), it must be said that it’s too early to throw away everything has been written so far. Let’s see why.
Soviet methods
First, it must be said that never before Putin had kept away for so long from the public eye. The chronicles report only two precedents, in 2000 on the tragedy of the Kursk, the submarine that sank in the Barents Sea with 118 sailors on board, and in 2002 on the attack at Dubrovka theater, when a Chechen commando seized 850 people, 130 of whom died during the raid of the special forces. Definitely, event of exceptional gravity. In addition, it was still a few days of absences.
On the other hand, the Kremlin has done everything to make this vacuum even more suspect, using methods worthy of the Soviet era to deny what was obvious. At first spreading the photos of the meeting with the governor of Karelia, actually occurred on March 4, saying it occurred on March 8; then trying again on March 11, when state TVs haired the video of a meeting with the head of the Supreme Court, that contained no evidence of the day it was shot.
In short, if until yesterday everyone was asking “where is Putin?”, now the question is “where he was?”
A well-deserved rest
Those who cannot resign themselves to the fact that it is all right have noticed some anomalies, real or fake, that does not vanish with the reappearance of Putin. Mikhail Khodorkovsy wrote on Twitter that “his reappearance in St. Petersburg instead of Moscow is bound to introduce as many questions as it answers.” Many other pointed out that the military Arctic drills, said to have been ordered by Putin, have actually have been ordered by Ministry of Defence, Sergey Shoigu, who was in Moscow. The same Shoigu who, according to the theory of the palace coup, ousted the president and took the lead of the country.
In short, the fact that Putin is alive and kicking, some say, does not mean he’s still firm over the reins of Russia. Andrey Illarionov, a former adviser to the president, thinks the struggle for power have already consumed. Illarionov says Putin would continue to appear as President, while someone else would rule behind the scenes. Until the day when an announcement to the nation will say that “the national leader needs a well-deserved rest.”
@daniloeliatweet
He disappeared and then reappeared; the mystery of the ten days of Putin’s absence from the scene evaporated in an instant. However, many questions remain, and where until recently everyone asked “where is Putin”, now the question is “where was Putin?”
We were all getting to like trying to skim the assumptions behind the 10 days Putin’s absence from public life. From cases of death to speculation about the health of the president, there was who – even among experienced Kremlinologists – drew the alarming picture of a power struggle within the walls of the Kremlin. Now that Putin has reappeared as an epiphany that mesmerized the media around the world (in itself a big move: Putin existence was the news), it must be said that it’s too early to throw away everything has been written so far. Let’s see why.
