There was nothing “normal” about Vladimir Putin’s New Year’s address to the Russian people. For his annual speech, the president usually stands alone outside the Kremlin. This year, men and women in combat uniforms stood behind him.
Vladimir Putin used his New Year address to promote the Kremlin’s alternative reality: that in this conflict Russia’s the hero and Ukraine and the West are the villains. The assertion that Russia is fighting for its sovereignty and independence is puzzling, to say the least. The Russian authorities have mobilised all the country’s resources for the “special military operation”.
In his New Year’s address, President Putin also separates Russians into those who support his “special military operation” and those who don’t, The leader of the Kremlin said, “It was a year that put many things in their place and made it clear where courage and heroism end and betrayal and cowardice begin.”
In 2023, the Kremlin is likely to make this line even more clear. For the “special military operation,” the Russian government has used all of the country’s resources. even so, There is no room for debate or discussion because the government wants everyone to support the president. People will make Russians who don’t feel like they’re betraying their Motherland.
