Putin evokes history as thousands attend rally
Source: Agencies |
February 24, 2012, Friday
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VLADIMIR Putin evoked Russia's historic 1812 victory over Napoleon Bonaparte yesterday in a patriotic speech to tens of thousands of people intended to show he has real support and counter opposition protests ahead of presidential elections.
Addressing his supporters in a Moscow sports stadium, the prime minister recalled some of Russia's finest military victories citing a poem about a decisive 1812 battle against Napoleon and promised to win another key battle: "the battle for Russia's future."
Speaking just over a week before a presidential election he is expected to win, Putin called on people "not to betray the motherland" and repeated his promise of pledging to protect Russia from foreign interference.
"We are the defenders of our homeland," Putin told the crowd. "We will not let anyone interfere in our internal affairs ... We are a nation that wins. This is in our genes."
The crowd was much larger than at any point in Putin's largely low-key election campaign and he appeared to be on fighting form. "I can't hug you all and shake everyone's hand but I thank you for your moral support," he said.
Shouting to the crowd, Putin asked: "Will we win?"
The crowd chanted back: "Yes."
Putin is all but certain to win a six-year term as president after already dominating the country for 12 years.
Opinion polls regularly show he is Russia's most popular politician, suggesting he will win more than 50 percent of the votes on March 4, enough to avoid a second-round runoff.
He still has broad support outside Moscow.
But his authority has been undermined by the biggest opposition protests in the capital since he rose to power. After initially insulting the demonstrators who have protested about alleged fraud in a parliamentary poll won by Putin's party on December 4, the 59-year-old leader has allowed their main rallies to go ahead.
Addressing his supporters in a Moscow sports stadium, the prime minister recalled some of Russia's finest military victories citing a poem about a decisive 1812 battle against Napoleon and promised to win another key battle: "the battle for Russia's future."
Speaking just over a week before a presidential election he is expected to win, Putin called on people "not to betray the motherland" and repeated his promise of pledging to protect Russia from foreign interference.
"We are the defenders of our homeland," Putin told the crowd. "We will not let anyone interfere in our internal affairs ... We are a nation that wins. This is in our genes."
The crowd was much larger than at any point in Putin's largely low-key election campaign and he appeared to be on fighting form. "I can't hug you all and shake everyone's hand but I thank you for your moral support," he said.
Shouting to the crowd, Putin asked: "Will we win?"
The crowd chanted back: "Yes."
Putin is all but certain to win a six-year term as president after already dominating the country for 12 years.
Opinion polls regularly show he is Russia's most popular politician, suggesting he will win more than 50 percent of the votes on March 4, enough to avoid a second-round runoff.
He still has broad support outside Moscow.
But his authority has been undermined by the biggest opposition protests in the capital since he rose to power. After initially insulting the demonstrators who have protested about alleged fraud in a parliamentary poll won by Putin's party on December 4, the 59-year-old leader has allowed their main rallies to go ahead.
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