As part of the celebrations commemorating the tenth anniversary of the controversial acquisition of Crimea from Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a performance to express his satisfaction with the “return” of the territory to Russia. Putin stated, in front of thousands of people who had gathered in Moscow’s Red Square, that Crimea had once again found its proper position and that it would advance alongside Russia. Following the announcement of a tremendous electoral victory that had been announced just the day before, he made certain remarks.
Western nations, on the other hand, vehemently questioned the legality of the election. Lord Cameron, the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, referred to it as a sham and brought attention to the extent of the repression that exists under Putin’s authority due to the fact that there are no serious opposition candidates. He decried the holding of elections in occupied Ukrainian territory as a violation of international regulations and condemned it as a violation.
Germany and the United States both released remarks that were very similar to one another, describing the election as being unfair and phoney, respectively. The president of Ukraine issued a statement condemning Vladimir Putin for organising yet another election that was not legitimate. In spite of criticism from other nations, the leaders of China, Saudi Arabia, and India extended their congratulations to Vladimir Putin, highlighting their willingness to continue working towards improving bilateral relations.
The annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 was the catalyst for a chain of events that culminated in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the occupation of a large number of territories. According to Putin, the situation is quite severe, and he emphasised that it is a significant moment in the history of Russia. During the time that he was describing the captured regions as being a part of “New Russia,” the audience clapped enthusiastically for him.
As part of his plans to connect Rostov-on-Don with Crimea, Vladimir Putin disclosed his intention to construct a new railway that would circumvent the occupied region of Ukraine. In this scenario, the existing bridge that links the peninsula to the Russian mainland would be replaced by this substitute. In response to the challenges that were being faced, he stated that this move exemplified both strength and solidarity.
While the ceremony was taking place, Putin presented plans to restore and expand rail lines to cities in Ukraine that were under Russian control. This helped to enhance Russian authority in the region. He expressed his appreciation to his followers for their support in his recent election triumph, which resulted in his receiving an overwhelming majority and a fifth term in office. The opposition candidates, despite the fact that they were relatively few, nevertheless contributed to the impression of political pluralism.
A number of irregularities in the voting process were referenced by opponents. These irregularities included allegations of coercion to vote among public sector employees and a lack of independent watchdog inspection. The fairness of the vote was called into question for the reason that Golos, a Russian monitoring group, was not permitted to be present during the voting. In spite of the fact that he issued a warning against spoiling ballots, Putin promised to take action if the opposition’s efforts to increase voting turnout were acknowledged.
It is anticipated that Putin will remain in power until the year 2030 at the very latest, which would make him the head of state in Russia, which has served the longest since Joseph Stalin. It is the combination of domestic barriers and foreign censure that brings to light the complexities of Putin’s leadership and Russia’s position in the globe.