Political scientists have shared their predictions for the content of the message to the Federal Assembly, which will be announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 21.
Sergei Markov believes that the head of state will not announce any change in the format of the military special operation. Putin probably legitimizes the word “war” so that the Russians are no longer held responsible for the use of this term.
Yevgeny Minchenko believes the speech will focus on economic and military integration with Belarus, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. At the same time, the countries are unlikely to be part of the Russian Federation.
“Today it is common to say that Russia will expand its borders through integration. But you have to understand that Lukashenka is doing everything to avoid this. This is not why he created and strengthened his regime, now becoming the head of a conditional Belarusian autonomous region,” said Moskovsky Komsomolets, quoted by Alexei Makarkin, deputy director of the Center for Political Technologies.
Abkhazia also has no intention of joining Russia. South Ossetia is of the opposite opinion, but we must not forget the problem with Georgia.
Alexei Chesnakov, director of the Center for Current Politics, also predicts words about an economic union in the message.
Putin will deliver a speech on February 21 at noon. One of the key topics will be a special military operation in Ukraine.
