JRL NEWSWATCH: “The Coronavirus Could Imperil Putin’s Presidency” – Wall Street Journal/ Leon Aron

April 26, 2020 JRL Russia List Coronavirus, Covid-19 Pandemic, Health, Epidemics, Substance Abuse, JRL NewsBlog, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections

Coronavirus File Photo adapted from image at cdc.gov

Russia entered the crisis with a stagnant economy, and its oil-price war with the Saudis isn’t helping.

“… the pandemic could hardly have come at a worse time …. Russia entered the crisis in a weakened state. Its longest stagnation in modern history …. 12%[] were below the subsistence minimum …. Most of the impoverished were working. … Rosstat, reported last year … 80% of families were regularly unable to buy a ‘minimal assortment of goods’ …. Adding to the malaise is the disastrous oil-price war …. After telling provincial governors to do the best they can … ceding … them neither power nor resources to accomplish much … Putin left Moscow. … [T]ools that … served … Putin … well … – television propaganda, bribes to opinion leaders and politicians, selective repression … people’s trust in his luck – are not likely to be as effective this time. … Violent incidents could lead to national crisis … even the 340,000-strong National Guard … cobbled … from … police and … Internal Affairs Ministry[] troops, may have trouble restoring order. … Covid-19 may not destroy … Putin’s presidency, but it has placed a time bomb under it.”