The fifth inauguration of Vladimir Putin as Russian president took place at Moscow’s Grand Kremlin Palace. Ivor Bennett covered the entire event and also interviewed Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov regarding the state of democracy in Russia. In an interview with Bennett, Peskov dismissed allegations of Russia being a dictatorship as propaganda and emphasized that Russia is a democratic country where people have the right to choose their leaders.
Peskov defended the lack of opposition to Putin by citing the country’s current war conditions, stating that tougher measures are needed to ensure victory. He insisted that despite the challenges, Russia’s political system is democratic and that interference from other countries should not be tolerated. When asked about the importance of public dissent during wartime, Peskov maintained that stricter measures are necessary for achieving national goals. He defended these measures as democratic, despite the Western media’s criticism of Russia’s political landscape.
In addition to his defense of democracy, Peskov also highlighted the presence of opposition within the country, albeit under more challenging conditions. Overall, Peskov’s interviews conveyed a strong stance on Russia’s democratic principles and its resistance to external influence.
