Posted on 12/05/2014 12:05:29 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper
Vladimir Putin’s state of the nation address on Thursday looked at first like a flashback to the not-so-distant past. It was held in St. George’s Hall, the same ornate room in the Kremlin where the Russian President announced his decision in March to annex the region of Crimea. The same honor guard opened the gilded doors when it came time for the President to enter, and Putin sprung into the hall with his usual strut, at once cocky and contained, like a boxer trotting into the ring. He also surprised exactly no one by repeating his hackneyed slogans of defiance toward the West: “It is pointless trying to talk to Russia from a position of strength,” he declared. And later on: “No one can gain military superiority over Russia!”
But there was one big difference: the reaction. The audience’s composition was the same as before, the rows packed with the same sycophantic lawmakers, technocrats, and propagandists who attended Putin’s blistering Crimea speech on March 18. But the applause Putin received this time was a lot more muted. Not a single standing ovation interrupted him, and even the most crowd-pleasing quips – “Our army,” Putin said, “is polite but terrifying” – hardly got more than a chuckle and a golf clap.
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
"They take it out on me as if it's my fault."“Any speculation has specific schemes and the schemes have a number of participants.”
I was there in October and it was at 38. I was there in October 2013 and it was more like 29. Drastic change in a 14 month period.
Kievan Rus’ ceased to exist in the 13th century when the Mongols invaded so Putin will be reaching way back if he invokes Russian claims on Kiev.
Besides, Moscow has been known as the “third Rome” since the Tatar Yoke was thrown off by Ivan III.
Putin will next be seen wearing the cap of Monomakh & calling himself Batiushka Tsar. He’ll enter the Grand Hall to the chorus of the coronation scene in “Boris Godunov”.
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