There has long been speculation as to what Vladimir Putin might have to say to his Federal Assembly. At the end of his two-hour speech it was clear: the tsar summoned his court to put him under the reins.
When Vladimir Putin last appeared before the Russian Federal Assembly, Mariupol was still standing, Kharkiv was not yet in ruins, and Kherson was not yet a field of ashes. Now, a year and a half later, the world has changed. If you ask Putin, he is the last one to answer for this.
The Kremlin chief’s speech to the Federal Assembly on Tuesday lasted almost two hours. For two hours he indulged in old-fashioned slogans. “The West unleashed the war. We’ll use our strength to stop him.” “We defend the people. But the goal of the West is limitless power.” “We weren’t! It was all her.” You – with Putin, there are always the heads of the ominous “collective west”.
Like an oversized old school class, the so-called Russian elite squatted in front of their head teacher Putin while he rattled off his platitudes. They applauded when commanded, jumped from their chairs when commanded, squatted down again when commanded.
Otherwise, the Russian elite followed the monotonous singsong on stage with frozen faces. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was visibly struggling with sleep. The boss of the most important state broadcaster Pervyj Kanal, Konstantin Ernst, almost nodded off. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov would rather stare at the floor than keep an eye on his boss’s crooked tie.
Vladimir Putin comes to the climax
But when Putin reached the height of cynicism an hour later, the Russian elite took notice. Because suddenly their commander-in-chief was talking about those who crouched in front of his stage. “Instead of investing in the Russian economy, in buying new technologies and creating new jobs in Russia, the money has gone to foreign properties, yachts and luxury real estate”Putin allowed himself a small one “philosophical digression”as he called it.
“But recent events have clearly shown that the image of the West as a safe haven and haven for capital is a phantom. Those who did not understand this in time, those who considered Russia merely the source of their income, but planned their life abroad, lost a lot. There they were simply robbed”Putin explained with a shrug.
With a raised finger, he added: “No one in the population feels sorry for those who have lost their capital in foreign banks.” After these words, ordered applause rang out in the hall. But nervous glances flitted through the audience, and crooked grins distorted many a face.
The faces of palaces and yachts
Dmitry Medvedev sat in the first row in front of Putin. Twelve years ago, his palaces cost the former hope of the Russian liberals their popularity among the population. Next to the sawed-off interim president, Vladimir Gundyaev was enthroned in his golden robes. The patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church is known for his luxury watch collection and fondness for German limousines.
It is people like Medvedev and Gunyaev who give a face to yachts and estates in Russia today. The most important message of the day went to her. Putin frankly told his elites: You have lost everything. My future is yours!
“Everyone has a choice. Some will want to spend their twilight years in a confiscated mansion with blocked accounts. The others will try to find a warm spot in a seemingly enticing western capital or spa town. (…) But it’s time to understand: For the West, these people were second-class strangers – and they will remain so”, Putin came to the main point. Nothing will help them, neither connections nor money nor bought noble titles.
But there is an alternative. “Remain together with his fatherland. Working for his countrymen. Not only starting new businesses, but also changing life around you. There are many such entrepreneurs, such true fighters in our business world. They are the future of patriotic business. Everyone must understand: The sources of wealth and the future can only lie here, at home, in Russia!”
A sentence that reveals the meaning and purpose of the entire event: to put the Russian elites on the curb. So that nobody leaves the team.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
