In the Ukraine war, Putin continues to rely on propaganda narratives. Russia may be talking about releasing American journalists. But this time it has to be different.
The West is responsible: Vladimir Putin describes the attack on Ukraine as a „civil war between brothers”
War in Ukraine: Putin wants to stick to Russia’s alleged purge of Nazism in Kiev
All the news around Vladimir Putin’s big press conference In the news feed.
Update from December 14, 1:14 p.m.: Aside from the war in Ukraine, it is clear that Putin is also interested in Russia’s relations with the West. According to his statements, he sees good opportunities with “Direct Line” for France. “If they are ready, then we are ready too,” Putin said. French President Emmanuel Macron even invited Russia’s rulers to Moscow.
Update from December 14, 12:35 p.m.: Journalist from The New York Times Putin asked a question about Americans imprisoned in Russia. Among them is one of her colleagues, whose detention is said to have been extended without trial. Putin responded that Russia was in contact with the United States.
However, reaching an agreement on the release of US citizens is “not easy.” The United States must recognize Russia’s interests. He added: „The release agreement must be beneficial to both parties.” Americans need to „listen” to Russia.
BRICS are supposed to be a counterweight to the UN: Putin talked about the alliance of countries in his speech
Updated from December 14, 12:20 p.m.: For the next meeting of the BRICS countries in 2024 in Kazan, Putin will announce his thoughts on the international influence of the alliance. Basically, the president wants to show that there are a large number of powerful countries in the world. They do not want to submit to the interests and influence of the United Nations. The BRICS countries are intended to represent a counterweight to Western alliances.
Not only the Russian media in Putin’s speech: the head of the Kremlin talks about the war in Ukraine
Update from December 14 at 11:50: It appears that foreign journalists were also present at the Russian president’s press conference. There were prior discussions about whether to allow media outside Russia to participate in the interview. As we can see in the live broadcast, there will likely be at least one journalist from the broadcaster present BBC And sky Present.
Putin does not want to compare the war in Israel with the attack on Ukraine
Updated from December 14 at 11 a.m.: Putin may be trying to distinguish between his war in Ukraine and the fighting in the Middle East. The Russian President said in a press interview: “Such things do not happen in Ukraine.” He describes the situation of the Palestinians as harsh. He wants to work to mediate the war between Israel and Hamas.
Putin describes the war in Ukraine as a „civil war between brothers”
Update from December 14, 10:45 a.m.: Putin speaks of the war between Russia and Ukraine as a civil war „between brothers.” According to Putin, Russia and Ukraine actually belong to each other and form a common state. Putin holds Western countries, especially European countries, responsible for the escalation in the Ukrainian war. This would not have left Russia any opportunity to build a relationship with Ukraine.
family name
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
old
71 years old (born October 7, 1952)
Government office
President of the Russian Federation (effective since 1999)
Husband
Lyudmila Shkrebneva (1983-2013)
children
Maria Vorontsova, Katerina Tikhonova
Putin talks about countless volunteers for the war in Ukraine: perhaps 500,000 soldiers for the front
Update from December 14, 10:31 a.m.: Media representatives present asked Putin about the frightening mobilization in Russia. But this is not necessary in the wake of the Ukraine war. “We are recruiting about 1,500 volunteers daily,” Putin said. By the end of the year, more than 500,000 soldiers will have been added.
The „Direct Line” show then switches to soldiers who are supposedly on the front in Donbas. An officer in the Russian forces talks about the alleged successes in the Ukraine war. „Victory is near,” the Russian soldier said.
Putin talks about Ukraine’s war goals: The Kremlin head continues to rely on propaganda
Update from December 14, 10:25 a.m.: Putin explained during his press conference that his goals in the Ukraine war have not changed. The top priority remains de-Nazification, a propaganda narrative that the Russian ruler used as justification for the attack. He accuses countries that support Ukraine of ignoring the alleged veneration of the Nazis as “national heroes.” Unless Russia’s goal is achieved, the war in Ukraine will continue.
Putin’s official speech: thunderous applause for the Russian president
Update from December 14, 10:16 a.m.: Vladimir Putin enters the stage to thunderous applause. First, the president talks about announcing his candidacy for re-election. Putin then praises Russia’s economic development. Despite international sanctions, significant economic growth has been achieved. “New jobs will be created,” Putin promised.
Update from December 14 at 10:00 AM: The press conference of Russian President Vladimir Putin began. The President receives questions from the Russian people. With over a million inquiries received, it is likely that it will not be able to address all concerns.
More than a million questions for Vladimir Putin: The Russian president appears on state television
Update from December 14, 9:48 a.m.: The Q&A session with Vladimir Putin begins at 10am (CET) on Russian state television. According to Russian media, more than a million questions were asked to the president in advance. This is what he mentions Daily Mirror.
Vladimir Putin speaks on state television: a question-and-answer session for journalists in Russia
Update from December 14 at 7:40 a.m.: After a break last year due to the war, Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a major press conference for the first time this Thursday. As a media spectacle on state television, a question-and-answer session for journalists is combined with the „Live Wire” television program, where citizens can describe their problems, to form the „Year Results” program.
Traditionally, press conference and public consultation hours are held separately. The country’s many problems such as poverty, social hardships, health care complaints, and lack of infrastructure are frequently discussed. Putin, who has led the country for more than a quarter-century, frequently uses citizen consultation hours to portray himself as a problem solver and caretaker. His critics accuse him of asking the same questions over and over again, without any improvement in the situation.
Sociologists at the independent Russian polling institute Levada have found that most people would like to know from Putin when the war will end. They recently found in representative polls that more and more Russians support starting peace negotiations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin answers people’s questions on the Ukraine war
The first report: MOSCOW – Vladimir Putin meets selected Russian citizens on state television. A traditional coordination organized by the Russian President in Moscow at the end of the year. But with the beginning of the Ukrainian war, the propaganda show was suspended. And now it is being held again for the first time: Putin’s „Direct Wire” show.
The name remains the same as the last broadcast on June 30, 2021. But the format has been changed. While in the past there was an annual press conference in front of media representatives and a television consultation with selected Russians, both events will be combined into one in 2023. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced the new format at the beginning of November.
Question and answer session with Putin on Russian state television
According to Russian media, in addition to the citizens present, all residents of Russia can participate in the question-and-answer session with Vladimir Putin. A hotline should be provided and questions should be sent to the head of state via SMS or via social media.
Even if Putin skipped the offer – perhaps to avoid unpleasant questions about the war in Ukraine – “Direct Line” has long been routine for the Russian president. This year’s Q&A session celebrates its 20th anniversary. However, it is not clear how long Putin will listen to his people’s complaints. The final version of the show lasted more than three and a half hours. The Kremlin head had to ask himself questions about healthcare in Russia, social benefits, as well as the war in Ukraine.
Putin’s appearance on Hot Wire: with or without journalists?
It is not known whether questions from journalists will be allowed, nor whether the Kremlin will allow foreign media to participate. Ekaterina Berezovskaya and Pavel Zarubin will moderate Putin’s show in Moscow. Both the 33-year-old star presenter from state broadcaster One Russian and her 42-year-old colleague are loyal supporters of Putin. Both of them had already supervised the „Direkter Draht” program in the past.
Putin’s emergence as Russia’s caring father comes at an opportune time for the president. In the Ukraine War, Russian forces successfully stop Kiev’s counterattack and are about to occupy Avdiivka. In addition, Putin recently announced his candidacy for the fifth time in the Russian elections scheduled for March 17. He will certainly win the elections. Russian state television does everything necessary. For weeks, broadcast stations have shown expressions of loyalty from politicians, officials, officials and citizens who want Putin to be re-elected.
Putin plans to run for re-election – and Girkin is on trial
The Russian president has almost no opponents left. No trace of jailed opposition politician Alexei Navalny has been found for days. Igor Girkin must also stand trial. The military and ultra-nationalist blogger has criticized Putin and announced that he wants to run against him in the 2024 elections. His trial begins on the same day that the Russian president is celebrated on the „Direct Wire” program. (Dell/EPA)
Russia and China demand a buffer zone for nuclear powers
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“China is looking for partners among US adversaries.”
Putin has once again chosen Beijing for his first foreign trip during his new term. Xi Jinping supports the Russian president. “The Chinese buy a lot of raw materials from the Russians, and that should not be underestimated,” says Moscow correspondent Christoph Wanner.
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Vladimir Putin has once again chosen Beijing as his first foreign trip during his new term. Xi Jinping supports the Russian president. In a statement, Beijing and Moscow called for the establishment of some kind of sphere of influence for nuclear powers.
DrThis plan is likely to be aimed primarily at Ukraine’s accession to NATO: Russia and China spoke in a joint declaration in favor of creating a buffer zone for nuclear powers compared to other military alliances.
“Nuclear powers must maintain global strategic stability, respect the principle of equal and indivisible security, and not infringe on each other’s vital interests,” said the joint statement issued by Kremlin President Vladimir Putin and Chinese state and party leader Xi Jinping on Thursday. In particular, “the expansion of military alliances and coalitions and the creation of direct military bridgeheads on the borders of other nuclear powers” should be avoided.
Russia also justified the war in Ukraine by NATO’s expansion eastward, and said it felt threatened. The buffer zone would in effect resemble a Russian sphere of influence, because Ukraine cannot become a member of NATO under this condition. Other former Soviet republics such as Georgia would also be affected by such a buffer zone.
Moscow and Beijing said on Wednesday that the political agreement was an option to resolve the conflict. “Both sides see that a political agreement is the right path to resolving the Ukrainian crisis,” Chinese state and party leader Xi Jinping said Thursday in Beijing during Russian President Putin’s state visit.
China and Russia object to US support for Taiwan
China, a nuclear power, also has a self-interest in securing its influence through a buffer zone. Beijing wants to reunite the island of Taiwan with the mainland, using military means if necessary. It also claims the Taiwan Strait, an international body of water, as its own.
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The two countries also accused the United States of transferring medium-range missiles to Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. “It is about the United States of America creating a global air defense system and deploying its elements in different parts of the world, in the Universe, as well as expanding the potential of high-precision non-nuclear weapons in Europe and the southern part of the Pacific Ocean,” the statement said.
Putin arrived in China on Thursday for a two-day visit. At the beginning of the talks on Thursday, Xi congratulated his „old friend” on his fifth term in office and expressed confidence that Russia’s development would make „great progress” under his leadership.
Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping at the celebration of the 75th anniversary of Sino-Russian relations
Source: AFP/Alexander Ryumin
Xi described the relations as conducive to peace. Sino-Russian relations have become stronger and have withstood “the test of the changing international landscape.” The two sides signed an agreement aimed at deepening the existing partnership between the two countries.
Putin, who began another term in office at the beginning of May, traveled with a delegation of senior politicians and business leaders. These include Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, new Defense Minister Andrei Belousov and Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina. Putin is also accompanied by the heads of some of Russia’s most important companies, such as Igor Sechin of the oil company Rosneft, German Gref of Sberbank, and industrialist Oleg Deripaska. Prime Minister Li Qiang was among the Chinese hosts.
Wade Venture (37) staunte nicht schlecht, als er das Rolltor zu einer Lagerbox in Portland (US-Bundesstaat Oregon) öffnete und begann, in den Kisten zu stöbern, die sich dort türmten.
Der Amerikaner hatte die verlassene Einheit bei einer Versteigerung für umgerechnet etwas mehr als 370 Euro ergattert. Dann stellte sich heraus: Der Inhalt war 70 000 Dollar (mehr als 64 000 Euro) wert!
Der Kauf war ein „Blind-Kauf“
Venture hat Erfahrung mit solchen „Blind-Käufen“: Nach eigener Aussage hat er bereits zwischen 400 und 500 Lagerräume gekauft. Und er schlug auch bei diesem zu – ohne zu wissen, was ihn erwarten würde. Doch einen solchen Schatz hatte er noch nie gefunden. Unglaublich: Die Vorbesitzerin der Box hatte Designerkleidung ohne Ende hinterlassen – unbenutzt!
Hunderte Schuhe entdeckte Wade in dem Lagerraum
Foto: action press
Unter den Fundstücken: Schuhe von Luxus-Labels wie Gucci
Foto: action press
Es war unfassbares Glück
Venture gegenüber US-Medien fassungslos: „Es ist selten, dass man eine solche Einheit findet, oft findet man Haushaltsgegenstände oder Müll.“ In der Vergangenheit hatte er den minderwertigen Inhalt seiner „Fundgruben“ oft einfach für wohltätige Zwecke gespendet. Venture weiter: „Die Leute denken, ich mache das schon so lange, dass ich schon alles gesehen habe, aber so eine Einheit habe ich noch nie gefunden.“
Wade zeigt einen der Mäntel aus seiner Fundgrube
Foto: action press
Auch reichlich Handtaschen hatte die Vorbesitzerin in dem Raum gelagert
Foto: action press
Hunderte Paare nagelneuer Schuhe
Unter den Fundstücken in seiner neuesten Schnäppchen-Schatztruhe: Mehr als 400 Paar Schuhe (u.a. von der Luxus-Marke Gucci), Pelzmäntel und Accessoires im Wert von mehreren Tausend Dollar. Viele der Stücke trugen sogar noch die originalen Verkaufsetiketten.
Schuhe, Schuhe, Schuhe! Wade hat damit begonnen, die Ware zu verkaufen
Foto: action press
Besitzerin hatte wohl Problem mit Shopping
Der glückliche Finder: „Normalerweise finde ich Dinge, die zu 30 Prozent neu und zu 70 Prozent gebraucht sind. Aber das hier war alles brandneu.“ Mittlerweile hat er damit angefangen, die Kleidungsstücke zu verkaufen. Allein für einen der Mäntel bekam er 1500 Dollar (rund 1400 Euro), berichtet Venture.
Eine Theorie über die Vorbesitzerin der Lagerbox hat er auch. Venture: „Es ist mehr als wahrscheinlich, dass sie ein Shopping-Problem hatte.“
Und weiter: „Man munkelt, dass sie das vielleicht vor ihrem Mann geheim halten musste.“
DrSlovak MP Lubos Blaha is not exactly known for his soft tones. Even on Wednesday, shortly after learning of an attack on Prime Minister Robert Fico, left-wing populist Blaha, a Fico supporter, had not backed down. “This anger, this anger, this hatred: this is your job today,” he told Slovak TV cameras. “The opposition, the progressives and the liberal media. “We are full of emotions,” Blaha said. The fact that FICO is unpopular with all segments of the population is due, among other things, to the planned judicial and media reform.
Milan Nick, an expert on Eastern Central Europe at the German Foreign Policy Association, is not surprised by this reaction. “It does not surprise me that Blaha, known for such rhetoric, would say this. But so far it has been an exception, as many politicians from various parties, including Fico Smer’s party, have expressed their dissatisfaction and called for calm and caution.
Robert Fico, here in Budapest in January
Source: Associated Press/Denis Erdos
In fact, Liberal President Zuzana Čaputová gave a well-received speech. She clearly condemned the attack and wished „that Robert Fico would have a lot of strength at this critical moment so that he could recover from the attack. Peter Pellegrini, the president-elect, made a similar statement.” Pellegrini comes from the government coalition led by Robert Fico and was elected president in April. However, he will not be sworn in until June.
Meanwhile, 59-year-old Fiko is still receiving treatment in hospital in the town of Banska Bystrica. His deputy, Thomas Taraba, told the BBC late on Wednesday evening that he appeared to have survived an emergency operation after the attack and was no longer in a life-threatening situation. Slovak media reported early Thursday morning that Fico had regained consciousness.
After a cabinet meeting on Wednesday in the town of Handelova, when Fico went out into the street, a 71-year-old man fired four to five shots at him. The suspected perpetrator was arrested at the scene and the Prime Minister was airlifted to hospital by helicopter.
Government officials assume a „political motive.” There are many photos and video recordings of the attack itself. Slovak news platform aktuality.sk She also stated that the suspected killer was legally in possession of a gun. The 71-year-old was not undergoing psychiatric treatment. These rumors have been reported previously.
There is also speculation on social media in Slovakia about the possible politicization of the alleged killer. This intensifies the already heated mood in the country, which reached two peaks during the parliamentary elections in September last year and the presidential elections in April this year.
Security forces arrested the suspected shooter at the scene
Source: Agence France-Presse/-
Both elections were accompanied by an aggressive mood and disinformation campaigns on social media, as well as questionable rhetoric by the actors involved. Fico’s Smer Party considers itself a social democratic party, but in the eyes of many observers it is characterized as a left-wing nationalist. It became the strongest force in the recent parliamentary elections, with 22.9 percent of the votes. In October 2023, Fico was able to assume the reins of government in a coalition with the Social Democratic Party of Halas and the far right.
He is considered a veteran of Slovak politics, having ruled from 2006 to 2010 and from 2012 to 2018. His companion Peter Pellegrini won the presidential election in April. Fico polarized the country for several months and thousands of Slovaks took to the streets against his policies.
There are major concerns among many Slovaks about an authoritarian state restructuring similar to what happened in Hungary or Poland. The Slovak Parliament approved a first legislative package in April as part of a controversial judicial restructuring process. The law provides, among other things, for the dissolution of the Special Public Prosecutor’s Office or the reduction of penalties for serious crimes such as murder.
The EU Commission has already expressed concern that the so-called judicial reform could violate EU law. In addition, there are verbal attacks on journalists from politicians – and concrete plans to control the media. Public television station RTVS is set to be transformed into a state broadcaster over which the government will have enormous influence. A similar law could be passed in June.
Before the Cabinet meeting in Handelova, Fico received local residents. After the meeting he was shot
Source: German Press Agency/Radovan Stoklasa
The NGO Transparency Law also made international headlines. If an organization receives €5,000 or more from abroad in one year, it should in the future be classified as an “organisation receiving support from abroad”. Critics fear the government will ban organizations it doesn’t like as a result.
Fico also reoriented Slovakia’s foreign policy. He himself and other members of the government have loudly criticized the course of the European allies towards Russia and Ukraine. Fico criticizes Russian sanctions as well as arms shipments to Ukraine. His government stopped supplying weapons from Slovak stockpiles to Ukraine. The partly pro-Russian policy of Slovakia, a member of the European Union and NATO, is also worrying diplomats and politicians in Brussels and other European capitals.
It is striking that Slovak society now seems to be uniting and that politicians from different political camps are strongly condemning the attack. Religious organizations, bishops and Islamic associations also commented on this. Expert Nick said, „The assassination attempt on Fico represents a turning point for Slovak politics, regardless of whether he will be able to take office again or not.”
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Another turning point for Slovakia was the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kusnirova in 2018. Through his research, Kuciak uncovered organized crime connections in Slovak politics. He worked for aktuality.sk, a news portal of Ringier Axel Springer Slovakia, a joint venture between Axel Springer SE (including WELT and “Bild”) and Swiss Ringier AG.
The murder of Kuciak and his fiancée attracted much attention in Slovakia and internationally. Fico, who was prime minister at the time, was forced to resign after mass protests following the killings. Even then, Fico’s policies were radically rejected by many Slovaks, but he always enjoyed a stable fan base, as demonstrated by his recent electoral victory in 2023.
However, expert Nick does not see a direct link between the assassination attempt on Fico and the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak and his wife. “This aggression against politicians and the cruelty of the conflict is not just a Slovak phenomenon. We see something like this everywhere in Europe, and unfortunately also attacks on politicians. Look at Germany: from the assassination attempt on Wolfgang Schäuble many years ago to the recent attacks on politicians,” says Nick.
Speculation about the paramilitary organization
Despite voices calling for calm in Slovakia, observers are also concerned that the government camp, after a brief period of calm, will use the attack to further divide society and consolidate its power. Blaha statements are the first sign. Fake news is also likely to spread quickly on social media, and disinformation campaigns can be launched.
The evening after the attack on Fiko, a report was published in Slovak online media that was likely to increase speculation about the background of the crime: the famous Hungarian investigative journalist Száblocs Bánje shared old photos of the alleged killer, which had a connection to a loyalist Slovak paramilitary women’s organization. For Russia, it is called the „Slovak Brotherhood”. Photos from 2016 are considered original.
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“However, in the next few days we are likely to see an increase in disinformation campaigns and the like on social networks. What happened is a reason for this,” says Milan Nick. But a lot will depend on whether Fico will survive the attack.
