On Tuesday, the Kremlin offered its most absurd view of Russia more than six months after its war with Ukraine, claiming the country is more united than ever, even as nearly a million people have fled.
“Different viewpoints always exist and collide in society. To say that there is some kind of special polarization [is not true]. On the contrary, I would say that 2022 is the year of solidarity in our society,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Say In an interview with RBK.
He went on to say that “structural shifts” and “unprecedented events” are taking place that have resulted in “an absolute consolidation of our society around the president. [Vladimir] Putin. “
“It’s indisputable, that’s for sure,” Peskov claimed, adding that those opposed to war on Ukraine were a “minority” and “discussed with them.”
His comments seem more strident given a new question Report Rosstat has warned of a massive “exodus” of Russians since the beginning of the year.
A total of 419,000 Russians left the country in the first half of 2022, more than double the number in the same period a year earlier, according to Rosstat. The population size was thus reduced to 145.1 million.
Meanwhile, a “confidential” report prepared for the Russian government assessing the expected damage from sanctions “paints a more dire picture than Moscow has publicly admitted,” according to the Russian government. Bloomberg Newswhere a copy of the document was obtained.
Russian officials and experts who wrote the report said the impact of sanctions will only intensify and the country could slip into recession until at least 2030.
However, the Kremlin still seems to believe the country is moving towards “victory” on all fronts – so much so that Peskov said Putin intended to visit the stolen Ukrainian territory.
in the comments news On Tuesday, Putin’s spokesman said he would visit “without a doubt” the Donbass in eastern Ukraine, which Moscow said was its “priority” after the region’s miserable full takeover of Ukraine in the spring.
“When the time comes, such trips will be made,” Peskov said.
