Putin Q&A bordering on the absurd, says Postimees journalist
Postimees foreign affairs journalist Liisa Tagel said that Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual Q&A session with the public was a PR exercise which left her laughing, as there was nothing else to do.
Putin spent four hours on live television on Thursday, answering some of the 800,000 questions which were sent by the public.
The picture was switched between the studio and Putin to different corners of Russia showing local people such as a woman who had survived a fire in Siberia. “That was a place to show how emotional and connected person Putin is. A well-meaning president who had to be held back by the host – it was a video message, he can not comfort her,” Tagel said, adding that the show was produced on a professional level.
The session showed how Russia is actually helping people, and of course only helping Ukrainians, she said.
Tagel said people living near the Ukraine border asked Putin if Russia plans to join in the war. “Putin comforted the people saying Russian involvement is only occasional and only after Ukrainian shells have accidentally fallen on the Russian soil. So Russia is doing nothing and the denial is total,” she said.
Tagel said that there were many moments when she was forced to laugh at the absurdity of the show.
Editor: J.M. Laats