China News Service, March 18 (Zhang Naiyue) On March 18, local time, Russia’s Central Election Commission released data. Among the 85% of votes counted in the Russian presidential election, current President Putin led other candidates by a wide margin with 87.19% of the votes. man, has actually won this presidential election.

　　Putin held a press conference in the early morning of the same day, thanking voters for their trust and support, and stated that he would continue to promote national development in the new term.

　　At present, Russia is facing an extremely complex situation. The outside world is paying attention to how Putin will lead Russia to meet the "hard core" challenges.

Data map: Putin

Take orders in times of danger

　　In 2023, the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center conducted a survey among Russians over the age of 18. The most common comments given by respondents to Putin's image and political achievements were: calm, energetic, decisive and wise.

Nearly three-quarters of the respondents believe that Putin has the ability to ensure Russia's stability and development.

　　These characteristics were gradually revealed when Putin entered the political arena.

　　The "shock therapy" and economic crisis of the 1990s caused the Russian economy to hit rock bottom and social problems became prominent.

Putin wrote in the article "Russia at the Turn of the Millennium" that "Russia's gross domestic product (GDP) has dropped by almost 50%...Russia is in one of the most difficult historical periods in hundreds of years. This is probably Russia's last two years. For the first time in three hundred years, it is truly in danger of becoming a second- or third-rate country in the world." He realized that stabilizing and developing the economy was the "top priority" at that time.

　　After taking office in the Kremlin in 2000, Putin adjusted economic policies and carried out tax reforms on the one hand; on the other hand, he began to reveal his "strongman" style, vigorously combating oligarchy and restoring the country's control over the economic lifeline.

File photo: The Kremlin in central Moscow.

Photo by Fa Tian Bing, China News Service

　　During this period, which coincided with the rise in international oil prices and a relatively stable political and economic environment, Russia seized the opportunity and developed rapidly.

In the first eight years of the 21st century, Russia's GDP grew by about 70% and its industry grew by 75%; in 2005, Russia ranked among the top ten economies in the world.

　　As its economic strength increases, Russia's international influence gradually increases.

The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and the 2018 World Cup were held in Russia.

　　Poverty in Russia has improved over the years, with the number of poor people falling from at least 42 million to 13.5 million from 2000 to 2023.

Putin also proposed that by 2030, Russia's poverty level will be further reduced to below 7%.

　　"Putin's political achievements have brought tangible benefits to the Russian people and have won their love and support." Chen Yurong, a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies, told China News Service.

Many tests

　　After the Ukrainian crisis escalated in 2022, Russia was subject to more than 10,000 Western sanctions, and a large number of Western companies withdrew from the Russian market.

Subsequently, Putin signed an order to switch to using rubles to settle natural gas bills with "unfriendly countries". The Russian economy showed "stability and resilience" and withstood the impact. GDP reversed the decline in 2023 and achieved 3.6% growth.

　　Chen Yurong pointed out that Russia is currently facing a complex international environment and its economy is facing the problem of sustained and stable development.

This means that during his new term of office, Putin will also face various difficulties brought about by Western all-round economic sanctions, such as the adjustment of economic structure inside and outside Russia.

Data map: On February 29, 2024, Russian President Putin delivered the annual State of the Union address to the Russian Federation Assembly (Parliament).

　　In his 2024 State of the Union address, Putin proposed many specific goals, such as increasing the share of the country's high-tech products and services in the domestic market, increasing non-resource and non-energy exports, reducing the proportion of imports, and achieving more technological independence.

　　"Putin seems motivated and energetic. He has a full grasp of the situation, even the details." "Russia Rossiya" wrote.

　　"These tasks are very arduous." Chen Yurong said, "Putin's re-election will be conducive to the coherence of Russia's domestic and foreign policies and will also help promote the implementation of Russia's economic and social reform measures."

Counterinsurgency and strengthen the army

　　In 1999, Putin struck hard, dispatching 100,000 troops and new equipment. It took three years to basically eliminate the illegal armed forces in Chechnya and win the second Chechen War.

　　At the annual press conference of a certain year, Putin once told a story about "exchanging swords for watches" to emphasize the importance of developing military power: A former military officer asked his son where the original sword went. Already?

The son replied that he took it to exchange watches with a neighbor's kid.

The officer looked at the exchanged watch and said to his son, "Yes, but if one day a robber comes and beats me, my mother and your brothers, and bullies your sisters. What should you do? Say to him 'Good evening' , is it 12:30 Moscow time?'"

　　In recent years, Russia's military modernization level has continued to improve.

In 2012, the proportion of modern weapons and equipment in the Russian army was only 16%. By the end of 2021, this proportion reached 71.2%.

Data map: In May 2022, Russia successfully tested the "Zircon" hypersonic missile.

　　After 2022, although Russia invested a large amount of military resources in the special military operation against Ukraine, it still maintained its investment in the "Trinity" strategic nuclear force and increased the proportion of modern weapons and equipment to 95% to ensure that it NATO conducts effective strategic deterrence.

　　At the same time, Russia's new weapon systems are also making continuous breakthroughs. The "Zircon" sea-based hypersonic cruise missile has been put into use, the "Pioneer" intercontinental hypersonic missile has entered combat duty, and the test of the "Haiyan" nuclear-powered cruise missile is approaching. Finish.

Diplomacy breaks down

　　"When will you invite Russia to join NATO?" Putin asked then NATO Secretary-General Robertson when he visited NATO headquarters in 2001.

　　Russia and NATO once had a "honeymoon period."

However, as NATO continues to expand eastward, relations between the two sides have experienced ups and downs. After the Crimea incident in 2014, NATO stopped all military exchanges with Russia, and relations deteriorated overall.

　　Today, NATO has achieved a new round of expansion, absorbing Russia's neighbors Finland and Sweden.

Coupled with the fact that the United States and the West continue to "fire up" the Ukraine crisis, the geopolitical game has intensified, and the relationship between Russia and the United States and the West has fallen again and again, slipping into an icy valley.

　　Chen Yurong pointed out that the current relations between Russia, the United States, and Russia and Europe are in the worst situation since the Cold War.

After Putin's re-election, it will be difficult to change the tense confrontation between Russia and the West in the short term.

"Future changes in Russia-Western relations will largely depend on how the Ukraine crisis is resolved."

Data map: NATO logo.

　　However, in the face of Western containment, Russia has worked hard to break through the situation and actively expanded its relations with countries in the Global South.

　　In December 2023, Putin resisted the pressure of the United States and some European countries to isolate Russia and visited the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia to discuss oil cooperation and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. During this year, Russia continued to cooperate closely with the CIS countries and carried out cooperation with India. Intensive political dialogue, convening a Russia-Africa summit to interact with many African countries.

　　In the new version of the "Foreign Policy Concept" approved by Putin in 2023, Russia also plans to give priority to developing relations with Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Syria, and strengthen cooperation with ASEAN countries in economic, security and other fields.

　　"A multipolar international relations system is taking shape, which is an irreversible process." Putin has said many times, "We will work hard to unite most countries in the world to respond to global challenges." (End)