From obscurity to projectors: Putin has given a turn in communication in one year about his ‘special operation’ in Ukraine, that is, the invasion of that country by the Russian army and the bloody war that is taking place on February 24 the first anniversary. This week will be a holiday in Russia, from 22 to 26, and numerous events around the army and the homeland will be organized throughout the country
For a long time, Russian television ostensibly ignored the Russian offensive in Ukraine. The change in strategy is obvious: the authorities are taking pains to refine the script with which they are going to celebrate the first anniversary of what the Kremlin calls a “special operation”, in reality, the invasion of Ukraine a year ago with 200,000 troops that has left thousands dead.
Last week, meetings were held with parliamentarians to discuss Putin’s speech on Wednesday, February 20, before the Duma, which will be broadcast on all the country’s television stations. A concert is also scheduled for that day at the mythical Luzhniki stadium.
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The content of the concert in that legendary stadium, with the presence of the president, remains a mystery.
The Luzhniki and the war
That stadium was where the annexation of Crimea was celebrated. There Putin declared last March: “The Russians will spit on scum and traitors like a mosquito that has landed in their mouths.” The Russian president was referring to opponents of his decision to send soldiers to Ukraine.
For his part, Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, declared on Sunday: “The special operation affects our lives and the lives of the entire continent.”
The Russians expect a cascade of decisions in the coming days. In any case, parliamentarians have been asked to be available to legislate.
Little by little, the government is advancing in the mobilization of minds. Since the beginning of the school year, all schools have been running what are known here as ‘conversations about what matters’, that is, courses on history and patriotism. The Ministry of Education said on Sunday that it is “working” on a format for parents.
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Ukraine in figures
On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation intervened militarily in Ukraine. The conflict once again divided the world in two: between Moscow, which claims to be protecting the pro-Russian civilian population in Ukraine, and Kiev, which is supported by most Western countries, led by the United States and the European Union.
Days later, a million citizens fled the country amid bombardments and the first Western sanctions against Moscow began: the United States announced blockades of Russian banks and technology exports, while the European Union prohibited the use of the SWIFT system in some Russian banks. .
The first days of April revealed the horrors of war. After the withdrawal of Russian troops from the city of Bucha, a few kilometers from kyiv, the bodies of hundreds of citizens were discovered. In the days that followed, the existence of mass graves was also revealed.
Russia, its war and the economy
After the raid, more than 7.8 million Ukrainians became refugees, about 7 million internally displaced; More than 220 children have died and 407 have been injured as a result of Russian bombing. Thousands of cities and municipalities have been destroyed and although some populations have been able to return, thousands of citizens also face the daunting task of rebuilding their homes.
Russia has suffered severe blows to its economy, which have affected fuel prices in Europe and the quality of life of its inhabitants. The war has also caused inflation to rise in other parts of the world and continues to threaten food security in many countries.
A few hours after one year of the war, the war continues and there are no signs of peace in sight despite the visible fatigue of the neighbors in conflict.
With information from French 24 and R.F.I.
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