Thursday, May 23, 2013

The Power Vertical

The Return Of The King

President Vladimir Putin gestures during a meeting in the Kremlin on December 13.
President Vladimir Putin gestures during a meeting in the Kremlin on December 13.
TEXT SIZE - +

December 18, 2012

Maybe it was the rumors about his health. Maybe it was the poor reviews his big speech to parliament received last week. Or maybe he just wants to end the year with a bang.
 
But whatever the reason, the Kremlin has clearly decided to play up President Vladimir Putin's December 20 press conference in a very big way.
 
From the dramatic voice over and Hollywood-style background music, to the classic action-hero shots from the Putin archives, the message in trailers on Russia's state-controlled television channels announcing the big event seems clear: the old hard guy is back with a vengeance. Or so we should believe.
 
WATCH FOR YOURSELF HERE:
 


AND HERE: 


 
In addition to emphasizing the Kremlin leader's physical vitality, the trailers also highlight the recent anticorruption campaign -- and make a point of splicing in a clip of Putin announcing the sacking of Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov. (Significantly, this comes shortly after Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev made a point of defending Serdyukov in his television interview earlier this month.)
 
Putin's image makers and political advisers have clearly decided to raise expectations for the annual event. What is not clear yet is why. Is this part of Putin's anticipated image makeover? Is the government shake-up the press has been speculating about for months finally coming? Or will it fall flat just like his speech to parliament did last week?
 
We'll know in a couple of days.
 
-- Brian Whitmore
This forum has been closed.
Comment Sorting
Comments
     
by: Vladimir from: Volgograd
December 18, 2012 22:38
Yeah well at least the Russian economy is still going strong. What have the dhimmi governments of the EU done for their citizens? Apart from bankrupting them financially and morally? Apart from turning sections of their cities into no-go areas, ghettoes and rape capitals of Europe? What's theunemployment rate in the Eurozone? And in Russia? Try a comparison? What moral compass do the spineless bureaucrats like Barrosso and Van Rompuy offer Europe? Vladimir Putin espouses the tried and tested and sound morals of a family man. A traditional family unit is what keeps countries alive. The moment Europe abandoned that they started a downwards spiral towards financial ruin, demographic suicide and appeasement of radical outsiders.
In Response
by: Anonymous from: USA
December 19, 2012 20:48
Actually, northern Europe is doing quite well for itself. Please don't lump all European nations together economically. Greece and Spain are far from being like Germany, Poland, and Scandinavia. What's this about Putin and family values? LOL! Putin put his wife in a convent, so he could have an affair with a gymnast. Also, Russia has the second highest divorce rate in the world...only the USA is higher. Americans tend to divorce over money, Russians divorce over violence and wife-beating. Russia is also a leader in producing child pornography and child prostitution. So much for family values! Russia itself is demographically challenged...a slight uptick in the birthrate won't stop the overall decline predicted by the UN. Sorry Vlad, make sure you look in a mirror before you criticize.
In Response
by: Alex from: LA
December 20, 2012 00:45
"make sure you look in a mirror before you criticize" I'm sure you did that before you went on to critisize. Bottom non of the worlds states or union are doing what needs to be done to fix the problems that world and societies face today, they work around them until something collapse and Awe cries from politicians, then comes the good ol' finger pointing, then the solution that will help themselves out and not the people. USA AND RF are both morally bankrupt nations (at least those who lead) Self-enrichment will defeat any idealogy and ruin nations, like it always has in the past, present and you guest it FUTURE...
In Response
by: La Russophobe from: USA
December 20, 2012 13:50
Going strong? You must be kidding.

Perhaps you've been suckered by the Kremlin's lies. For instance, the define "poverty" at a ludicrously low level so they can claim there are few poor people, then the squelch the news that even at that level the number of poor is rising. http://dyingrussia.wordpress.com/2012/12/13/russian-poverty/

Or maybe you just don't read the papers, which show massive capital flight, anemic stock market, undiversified economy still wholly dependent.

Russia occupies the same position on the "doing business" lest of nations as it does no the "life expectency" list of nations, a shockingly low #112. https://twitter.com/larussophobe/status/281393310633959424

Then again, maybe you know all this too well, and you are just one of the Kremlin's paid liars. You certainly don't make the slightest attempt to document your absurd claim, so that would make sense.
In Response
by: Mark from: UK
December 20, 2012 16:19
LOL! twitter and wordpress! what a references!
In Response
by: Camel Anaturk from: Kurdistan
December 20, 2012 18:36
Right on Marky,how could they quote lowly twitter and wordpress too??? Not as reliable as Russia today and Radio Moss cow,arent they??? And how do they dare criticize your bigger than life Sovereign??? I suggest you challenge them for a duel or send them to Sunny Siberia without a one!!! Gazputin Rules OK!!!
In Response
by: La Russophobe from: USA
December 22, 2012 13:24
Mark, did you actually READ the two links before you "commented"? I suspect not, since both are FULL of links to mainstream sources. Are you lazy or just illiterate? Either way, you offer ZERO links of your own to challenge the facts asserted, making you nothing more than a dancing jester.
In Response
by: Asehpe from: The Netherlands
December 21, 2012 23:51
Have you noticed how many Russians drive taxi cabs to and from the New York airport? Their accents are so easy to spot...

Have you noticed how many Americans drive taxi cabs to and from the Moscow airport? Yeah, I haven't either. And I've been there quite a few times.

In fact, how many Russians have you seen driving cabs in Berlin... compared to the number of Germans driving cabs in Moscow?

Just a little bit of reality, as far as your "economy" goes. The Russian elite knows where their money should go and where their children should get an education. So should you.
by: Fred Eidlin from: Prague, Czechia
December 19, 2012 11:33
Maybe it's just time for the next one of these major press conferences. They have always been important, since the beginning of Putin's first Presidency. They have always been big public events, aimed at the broadest public, in contrast to Putin's "state of the union" addresses which, like all such addresses everywhere, are aimed at much narrower audiences. Strangely missing from the list of speculations as to why they are making such a big deal of it is the possibility that Putin may use it to announce one or more major policy initiatives, or to give a boost to one already underway, like the anti-corruption drive at the highest levels, and/or to mobilize public support.
by: Ray F. from: Lawrence, KS
December 19, 2012 18:05

There’s a song by Bulat Okudzhava where he points out that sometimes the pedestal becomes more important than the statue. I suspect that all the sound and fury advertising this press conference may be a clever attempt to hide the deficiencies in Tsar Vladimir’s form of governance. The tsar will demonstrate his verbal proficiency for a few hours, flexing his sharp-witted tongue with some tough street jargon—but at the end of his remarks, nothing will have changed. Viewers will return to their vodka and sausage, frozen streets with crowded traffic, lousy schools and hospitals, corrupt police and bureaucrats. Words alone won’t instill hope into broken political and social system.
by: Alex from: LA
December 20, 2012 00:39
How dare you call and EMPEROR a KING? Ohh Why don't you write about countries that actually have kings. England maybe, there is that one royal family that still collects taxes, and does do anything good in the world.
by: Ben
December 20, 2012 10:17
Putin obsession. The West happy with the Cold War finish,is frantically affraid of the new confrontation with the strengthening Russia. All Russia critics consentrates on Vladimir Vladimirovitch,it`s more easy.
In Response
by: peter from: ottawa
December 20, 2012 13:40
Russia is a joke waiting to happen. Mr Big s bagman by the name of Vitaly MALKIN just purchased 111 condo apts in Toronto for 50 million . I wonder where the kgb errand boy got such a sum. Travel outside of Moscow and all you see are hundreds of miles of outhouses and no road signs, gps is no help. With a recession looming in the west, 60 dollar oil comes with a low demand for energy, some chimpanzee in the russian central bank pegged 100 dollar benchmark for russian oil, anything below 100 is bad, anything above is good, two thirds of russias revenue comes from energy at 60-70 dollar range, you do the math., add new supplies from North Africa, Irak, Central Asia, Albania, plus solar, wind, 100,000 new electric cars are manufactured for North America powered by a fuel cell the size of your little finger, coal [production will overtake oil in 2017 add fracking to the equation and out comes a flat oil price just like naural gas, prices have barely moved in the last 5 years. In 1987 the price of oil dropped almost overnight from 46 to 9 dollars The remaining one third of russias revenues comes from a declining forest industry, the internet is saving trees, manufacturing , another declining industry, arm sales, lousy vodka and russias prized export- HIV infected natashas.
by: Natalia from: Brussels
December 20, 2012 14:44
Are these videos available anywhere with English subtitles?
In Response
by: Camel Anaturk from: Kurdistan
December 20, 2012 18:14
Yes,Natalia,Eugenia from Vienna,Jack from the US and Mark are providing us with the great man`s subtitles in alltheir posts here.You can also count as always on FOX News to render all Gazputin`s brilliant remarks in excellent angwish.Generally the most exact translations go like `blah blah blah from me to you,and blah blah blah,too`!!!
In Response
by: Natalia from: Brussels
December 21, 2012 09:32
Thanks Camel. I have found a lot of translations and clips of the actual press conference but none yet of the 'trailer' (which for me is the best part!). If you come across a subtitled version - can you post it please? Thanks!
In Response
by: Camel Anaturk from: Kurdistan
December 21, 2012 17:40
Dear Natalie ,I would have translated the trailers for you but the sound quality is very bad,so i cant do it from these you tube posts.The first trailer consists of primitive YCL-Komsomol-thats young communists league slogans and the second says;`Only once a year,in one place only there are no laws but only one;a question put correctly-then the kgb man with his superb taste chooses the most beautiful girl to ask her question-its very interesting for double-speak researchers or psychopathological analysts and we would have thought that a real russian Natalia should have some command of her mother tongue!!!

About This Blog

The Power Vertical is a blog written especially for Russia wonks and obsessive Kremlin watchers by Brian Whitmore. It covers emerging and developing trends in Russian politics, shining a spotlight on the high-stakes power struggles, machinations, and clashing interests that shape Kremlin policy today. Check out The Power Vertical Facebook page or

Listen

Other Russia Watchers

Most Recent Posts

Partner Media