The fifth oath

On May 7, Vladimir Putin officially took office as President of Russia for the fifth time. Putin has been at the helm of the country for a quarter of a century and is the longest-serving leader since Stalin.

As we all anticipated, most of the United States and European Union countries boycotted the ceremony held at the Kremlin on Tuesday. However, representatives from several EU countries, such as France, Hungary, Slovakia, Greece, Malta, and Cyprus, were present at the ceremony. This shows us that there is a difference of opinion within the EU regarding Russia. Even though all EU countries are keeping their distance from Russia and the elections in Russia have been declared illegitimate and non-transparent by European officials, there are still countries within the EU that want to maintain communication with Russia and are sending the message that Putin's presence at the head of Russia cannot be ignored. Of course, Ukraine does not see a legal basis for recognizing Putin as the democratically and legitimately elected president of Russia. Aleksei Navalny's wife in exile, Iulya Navalnaya, said in a video message on social media that Russia is "ruled by a liar, a thief, a murderer, but this will inevitably come to an end."

Although many politicians and journalists in the West compare him to a "postmodern tsar" or call him a "mustache-less Hitler" and a war criminal, despite all these negative comparisons, Russians love their president and support his policies. We understand this from the data of various public opinion polls. According to a survey published by the independent Russian Levada Center, which has been designated as a foreign agent by Moscow authorities, approximately 71 percent of Russians believe that Russia is on the right track, and only 17 percent say the country is on the wrong track.

Data from the Russian Public Opinion Research Center, released on the eve of the inauguration of the president who was re-elected in March, shows that over the last two years, the confidence of Russians in Vladimir Putin's ability to ensure Russia's stability and development has increased sharply. Furthermore, the majority of those who participated in the survey are confident that the head of state has a well-thought-out action plan to improve the economic situation in the country. 80 percent believe that Putin can ensure stability in Russia, and 79 percent believe that he will continue the country's development.

Some foreign and Russian critics say that the results of the polls currently being conducted in Russia cannot be trusted for various reasons. Since 2022, the number of people participating in surveys has decreased significantly; people refuse to participate in polls and refuse to answer when the questions are about the war in Ukraine. Some critics say that the polls do not show what Russians "think," but rather what they are supposed to think.

However, despite all this, Putin is still a leader with quite high popularity. It is no secret that Russian women have a special sympathy for Putin. The photos widely publicized by Russian and foreign media of him fishing, playing sports, riding horses, or bathing in icy water not only paint an image of a strong and charismatic leader but also reinforce the idea of a personality cult. For 25 years, Putin has consolidated his power in the state with the help of media that is mostly controlled by the state. Media organizations that did not allow themselves to be controlled had to emigrate from Russia to continue their operations.

The main ideas widely supported in Russian politics are nostalgia for the USSR, revisionism, and propaganda against the West. Even after more than three decades, Russian politicians and Russian society in general refuse to accept the right of former Soviet states to self-determination and always view the former Soviet space as a territory that will always belong to Russia. Supporting the image of a "collapsing West" contradicts the traditional family values emphasized in Russian society. Putin did not hesitate to state this at the inauguration ceremony: "I am confident that the preservation of family values and traditions that have lasted for centuries will continue to unite associations and religious organizations, political parties, and power at all levels, established for the public good." In the prayer held at the church, Russian Patriarch Kirill compared Putin to the legendary medieval prince Alexander Nevsky, saying that he "did not forgive his enemies, but became famous as a saint."

For 25 years, Putin has often ended his speeches with the words: "We will win together!". He does not forget to state that the people of Russia are unique and wonderful and that Russians can only overcome obstacles together.