July 08, 2020

Putin's Victorious Summer


Putin's Victorious Summer
"Spared no expense." Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Wikimedia Commons

Despite health concerns over coronavirus (and Moscow's pavement), this year's Victory Parade on Red Square went off without a hitch. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out here. It's an incredible display of patriotism, complete with the leaders of several nations, participants from 14 countries, and some 20,000 total troops.

President Putin himself, sporting the St. George Ribbon, could be seen greeting veterans, and it seemed like Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus' somewhat eccentric president, shared a laugh with his Serbian counterpart (at about the 1 hour-18 minutes mark). As weird as it is to see these East European leaders act like human beings, it seems like a good time was had by all.

So what was the deal this year? Why all the pomp?

2020, of course, was always destined to be extra extravagant: this May marks the 75th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany. Jubilee celebrations of various kinds have already been underway all year, some goofier than others.

Even though the parade had to be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, this ended up adding some extra flair to the celebration. The new date chosen for the extravaganza— June 24— happened to be the anniversary of the 1945 victory parade in Moscow, wherein Nazi banners were laid at the foot of Lenin's Mausoleum by freshly war-weary troops.

Men in WW2 uniforms at the 2020 Victory Day Parade.
Timeless and classic outfits; a nice throwback. | Russian Ministry of Defense, Wikimedia Commons

To further tout Russia's anti-fascist legacy, an op-ed (ostensibly) written by Putin himself appeared in US journal The National Interest. The article, which can be read here, is a wide-ranging pastiche of old Soviet narratives, Russian absolution, and Poland-blaming. The overarching story is that Soviet Russia took down the Nazis almost single-handedly, while the other Allies looked on or, at times, enabled Hitler. While a fascinating read, few historians in the U.S. or abroad take it seriously.

But that didn't stop the Russian Embassy in Berlin from sending it to several German history professors, urging them to use it as classroom reading. Ironically, many of them should, and will, as an example of the fascinating real-world relationship between ideology, history, and policy.

The new date was also convenient for another reason: it was close to the week of voting for a constitutional referendum that carried sweeping reforms, including the maintenance of conservative social policies and, most surprisingly, the ability for Putin to remain president until 2036.

The voting process was far from tranquil: memes lampooning Putin's age (he would be 83 in 2036), ubiquitous government-funded urgings to vote, and some strange, ultra-conservative historical-revisionist themes appeared online. Some even used toys or fruit to stage mini-protests, creating an absurd scene when authorities removed and investigated incidents involving oranges and Barbie dolls. 

A protest featuring an orange pepper with a sign reading "No!"
This orange pepper votes "No." | Instagram user @miniprotest

Despite the backlash (and grammatical mistakes on the ballots), the amendments passed. Voter turnout was reportedly almost 68%, with 77.6% of voters supporting the changes. The only federal subject in which the vote failed was in Arctic Nenets Autonomous Okrug, where only 43.8% voted for the changes. It's hard to imagine that the sweeping wave of nationalism following the parade did not conveniently affect citizens' votes.

In a sense, the vote wasn't just about the constitution, but also a referendum on Putin and his party's rule as a whole. Impelled with Russians' seal of approval— or at least the illusion of it, given accusations of voter fraud— Putin has been re-legitimized by both the past and present and is set to keep on keeping on.

You Might Also Like

The Body Politic
  • May 01, 1997

The Body Politic

A revealing retrospective on Russian leaders' health, from Lenin to Yeltsin -- what they have sought to cover up, and why.
The Oligarchs and the President
  • March 01, 2004

The Oligarchs and the President

The vital subtext for March’s election is the battle between the Kremlin and the oligarchs. We walk back through recent history and provide up-to-date profiles of Russia’s weakened robber-barons.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Turgenev Bilingual

Turgenev Bilingual

A sampling of Ivan Turgenev's masterful short stories, plays, novellas and novels. Bilingual, with English and accented Russian texts running side by side on adjoining pages.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
Moscow and Muscovites

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Bilingual series of short, lesser known, but highly significant works that show the traditional view of Dostoyevsky as a dour, intense, philosophical writer to be unnecessarily one-sided. 
The Samovar Murders

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955