Careful selection: ISW analyzed Putin's Christmas meeting with families of fallen occupiers

At the same time, ISW emphasizes that such careful selections are the standard practice of the Kremlin and aims to minimize the risks of the appearance of inconvenient and problematic questions. According to the Institute of War Study, the Russian dictator continued to demonstrate "custody" Russian servicemen and their families on the eve of the presidential election in March 2024.

It was such a manifestation of "worry" during a meeting on the eve of Christmas, which is celebrated in Russia on January 7, with members of families of Russian servicemen who died in Ukraine. The meeting was held at Putin's residence in Novo-Ogaryovo. The relatives of the 5 dead were present, with ISW sources report that some of these relatives had contacts with the Russian government and the military.

Yes, the Novosti agency reported that they were present: in addition, the agency reported that all five dead servicemen were posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Russia and the Order of Courage. The Institute of War Study recalled that this is how the meeting with carefully selected women who hold influential positions in the Russian political sphere, as well as mobilized Russians, was prepared as early as November 25, 2022.

ISW analysts point out that the President of the Russian Federation has repeatedly confirmed the support of the Russian government of Russian servicemen and delegated responsibility for the constant support of these families to Russian officials at all levels throughout Russia. At the same time, he emphasized the "heroism of the dead Russian servicemen" who "defended the interests of Russia".

Recently, Putin also attended similar measures, where he visited the Russian soldiers, wounded during hostilities in Ukraine. Here, he resorted to a "merciful leader" who cares for the welfare of Russian servicemen, and demonstrated his ability to satisfy the requests of servicemen and solve their problems.

The experts of the institute point out that Putin is probably using these meetings that spread throughout the communication channels in Russia and abroad, as part of their election campaign, because Russian servicemen and their families are a large part of its electorate.

Therefore, their public support is vital for both Putin and the Kremlin as a whole, as it gives the dictator the opportunity to present to the public, including world, Russian society, as a large extent that supports Putin and war in Ukraine.

The head of the Kremlin -controlled of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Moscow Cyril stated that Russia could not refuse Russian citizens who have left the country after a full -scale invasion of Ukraine and now want to return home, "realizing that they made a mistake.

" Such a comment Cyril corresponds to the Kremlin's position and points out that the authorities and the ROC may be more successful in coordinating its position on the return of the Russians on the eve of the presidential election in March 2024.

Two Russian government officials - the Commissioner for the Protection of Entrepreneurs under the President of the Russian Federation Boris Titov and the Chief of Police of the Lower Tagil of Sverdlovsk Region Taras Bulgakov - spoke in defense of the further presence of migrants in Russia, despite repression against these migrants.

Such opinions have caused a sharp criticism from military bloggers, which indicates that the Russian government is probably still not, according to the Institute, a single policy on migrants in Russia. The Ukrainian military observer Konstantin Mashovets declared on January 7 that Russia has at least a second time postponed the timing of the creation of new Moscow and Leningrad military districts due to lack of weapons, personnel and bureaucratic problems.