Putin: Planned elections that will give him a fifth term in Russia

Lack of election preparations reflects lack of drama around a planned event Which will give Russian President Vladimir Putin a fifth term in the Kremlin.

Another thing that is impossible not to notice in Borovsk is street art: it is everywhere. Much of it is by artist Vladimir Ovchinnikov, whose works are seen on walls and buildings around the city.

Although most of his paintings are not controversial, it is becoming the case that Vladimir’s paintings of modern Russia go too deep.

“I call it the pinnacle of ambition,” this 86-year-old artist tells me as he shows me a painting in his home of a man in martial arts uniform walking a rope over a mountain of human skulls.

“The ambition of someone at the top of power could be the result of this.”

Even more dramatic is the image of him grinding people with two meat grinders: one labeled 1937 (the year of Stalin’s Great Terror) and the other Special Military Operations (Russia’s war in Ukraine).

“We haven’t learned any lessons,” Vladimir concluded.

Artist fined for “defaming” the Russian military after painting a similar meat grinder on a wall, Same thing happened with him when he showed missiles falling on a girl wearing blue and yellow Ukrainian dress in his street art.

The authorities do not view his graffiti criticizing the war in Ukraine favorably, which is quickly scrapped.

Vladimir tells me, “My paintings make people think: Are we right or wrong in this struggle?” “I think this is a crime against the territorial integrity of the neighboring state. “If I keep quiet I’ll ruin her.”

“Many remain silent because they are afraid of oppression, of losing their jobs, and of being criticized by others.”

After the death of Alexei Navalny in prison, Vladimir painted a portrait of this opposition leader on a local mausoleum that honors victims of political repression.

“The same day someone removed it,” he says. “But at home I painted a draft on cardboard. So later I placed it next to the memorial.”

How does Vladimir see the future of Russia?

“Some people predict more repression,” he says, “and that we are moving toward totalitarianism and outright dictatorship.”

Vladimir Ovchinnikov told me that he never watches television. If you did that, you would see a very different image of Russia on state TV.

This is Vladimir Putin’s version. No mountain of human skulls. No meat grinder. No mention of Alexei Navalny.

This is not a Russia that is aggressive from outside and repressive from within. This is Russia with a glorious past and an equally glorious future, A group of heroes and patriots gathered around the flag to defend the motherland from foreign invasion.

And this is a Russia that loves its current leader.

A few days ago, Russia’s Channel 1 evening news showed Putin’s fans greeting the president as if he were a pop star.

“Take care,” a woman yelled before kissing him.

“Live long!” A man shouted.

If you look at Channel 1 news alone, you can conclude that Putin is likely to win a landslide victory in the presidential elections.

But, like pictures, context is important. And this is important here.

The Kremlin controls not only television in Russia, but also the entire political system, including elections.

Putin He faces no serious challenges in his quest for a fifth presidential term. At the age of 71.

Putin, a former officer of the Soviet security service KGB, was chosen in late 1999 by President Boris Yeltsin and those close to him to lead Russia into the 21st century.

After winning two elections in 2000 and 2004, he became Prime Minister, while his colleague Dmitry Medvedev replaced him in 2008, the year in which the Russian president’s term was extended to six years. He returned to office in 2012 and has remained there since being re-elected in 2018.

The Constitution established that no President may serve more than two consecutive terms. But since Putin’s account was officially zeroed out this year, President can remain till 2036,

His staunchest critics have gone into exile or been imprisoned in their own country. His arch rival Navalny has died.

But the Kremlin likes to claim that Russia has the world’s “best democracy.” For this reason, in addition to Putin there are three candidates on the ballot officially sanctioned by the Russian Parliament, which is close to the Kremlin.

I met one of them recently. It was a strange experience.

“Why do you think you would be a better president than Putin?” I asked Communist Party candidate Nikolai Kharitonov.

Kharitonov replied, “It’s not my business to say.” “That wouldn’t be right.”

“But do you think your manifesto is better than Putin’s?” I continued.

“That should be decided by the voters,” he said.

“But what do you think?” I said emphatically.

“It doesn’t matter what I think. It is for the voters to decide,” he said.

Instead of talking about himself, Kharitonov praised the current president,

Kharitonov said, “Today Vladimir Putin is trying to solve many of the problems of the 1990s, when Yeltsin dragged Russia into brutal capitalism.” “Try to unite the nation for victory in all fields. And that’s what will happen!”

Something tells me this controversy is not what Nikolai Kharitonov is most excited about.

One politician who made an unsuccessful attempt to enter the ballot was anti-war Boris Nadezhdin.

“It is absolutely impossible to say that our presidential elections are fair and free,” Nadezhdin told me.

They claim they were prevented from applying Because his anti-war message was becoming very popular.

“Polling shows that 30% to 35% of Russians wanted to vote for a candidate like me, who talks about peace. “This is an absolutely impossible outcome for our government.”

Back in Borovsk, I enjoy the view of the bridge over the Protava River.

From here, the city looks like a painting: an image of Russia that you might imagine hanging in the Hermitage Museum.

On the top of a hill there is a beautiful church, at the foot of which there are picturesque snow-covered houses. People walk warmly and carefully on icy roads.

I also go into the city cautiously to gauge the mood. What do people on the streets of Borovsk think about the war, the elections and their president?

“It doesn’t matter who you vote for, everything is already decided”a young woman named Svetlana says to me. “I don’t see any point in participating.”

But many people here, especially older Russians, tell me they will vote.

It becomes clear as I talk to people There are many supporters of Russia seen on television.

“I hope Vladimir Putin wins the election and ends the war,” Lyudmila told me. “They have killed many youths. “When there is peace, many countries will finally understand that Russia is invincible.”

“Why do you want Putin to win?” I asked him. “After all, he’s the one who started the special military operation.”

“There are many opinions,” admits Lyudmila. “Some people say this war should never have started. Others say he was right. I’m not going to judge him now. “We don’t know all the political aspects.”

“Putin has been in power for almost a quarter of a century,” he said. “In a country of 145 million people, isn’t there anyone else who can do your job?”

Lyudmila responded, “Ah, no, we have many talented leaders who can lead the country in an emergency.”

Nikolai will also vote for the current president, seemingly unconcerned by Putin’s two-and-a-half decade rule.

“And? We had kings who ruled for a long time,” Nikolai says. “There were good and bad kings. We had Stalin and Brezhnev. You can change leaders, but it makes no difference to our lives.