Addressing the nation in a speech, Russian President Vladimir Putin throws wild claims and blame. Image: AP
International
About a year ago he gave the order to march into the Ukraine. After twelve months of war, millions of refugees, hundreds of thousands of dead and tens of kidnapped Ukrainian children, Russian President Vladimir Putin comes before his nation with the message: The West is to blame for the war.
During his almost two-hour speech, Putin touched on many topics, but one thing he didn’t mention a syllable: peace negotiations. “Everyone who is calling for negotiations should watch this speech,” says historian and publicist Hubertus Knabe.
Vladimir Putin addresses his nation just days before the anniversary of the war in Ukraine.Image: Pool Sputnik Kremlin / Mikhail Metzel
According to him, Putin wants to continue this war until total victory. And that probably reminds us Germans of a certain person. Knabe also draws the comparison: “Putin, like Hitler, is obsessed,” he writes Twitter. He lives in a parallel world and there is no room for negotiations.
However, his “special military operation” in Ukraine is not going according to plan.
US Secretary of State Blinken: “Strategic failure in every respect”
A year ago you got the from Russia launched what was dubbed “Military Special Operation” to ensure Russia’s security and “defeat the fascist regime in Ukraine”. An operation has turned into a war and Russia has suffered heavy losses. The Russian military has not been able to show any significant successes so far. Russia has arguably underestimated the courage and will of Ukrainians – and also the support of Western allies.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sees the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a strategic failure. “One year after Putin’s attack on Ukraine, it is clear that his war is a strategic failure in every respect,” he says. “If we allow this to go unpunished, we will be opening a Pandora’s box around the world where might makes right.” Nobody wanted this war, said Blinken. “Everyone wants it to end as soon as possible.” Except for one – but that could soon run out of options.
According to Green Party politician Peter Heilrath, Putin would remain a “single military asset”: soldiers. Soldiers. Soldiers.
According to Heilrath, the Russian president will “send masses of poorly trained and poorly equipped soldiers to their deaths.” In his speech, Putin promises the families of fallen soldiers financial support and announces a special state fund.
Putin as a victim of the “woken West”?
A war that “ominous elites” are forcing upon him, writes the political scientist Gerald Hensel on Twitter. According to him, Russia sees itself as a victim of the “woken West” – a world that even Putin no longer understands.
“Putin’s reputation is getting on my nerves so much that I can hardly stand it,” says Hensel. Above all, the tearful, fragile, arrogant self-importance is difficult for him to bear. “A complete anti-man.”
The content of Putin’s speech was probably quite tiring for the audience as well, as a video excerpt shows.
Putin’s words obviously had a soporific effect on this Russian politician. The camera caught as his eyes closed. Advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Anton Gerashchenko shared this moment on Twitter.
Putin’s appearance was his 18th state of the nation address to date. The previous one was almost two years ago and took place in April 2021. Last year there were none; the head of the Kremlin explained this with a very high “dynamics of events”.
(With material from dpa/afp)
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