The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Big decisions? Putin convenes Duma - rumors about plans for Soviet-style "union"

2022-07-17T03:05:17.734Z


Big decisions? Putin convenes Duma - rumors about plans for Soviet-style "union" Created: 07/17/2022, 04:50 By: Patrick Freiwah The Russian parliament is holding a special session. What is Vladimir Putin planning? Presumably it is about the further procedure in the Ukraine conflict. Moscow - general mobilization? Reorganization in the Kremlin? Rather surprisingly for Western observers, a speci


Big decisions?

Putin convenes Duma - rumors about plans for Soviet-style "union"

Created: 07/17/2022, 04:50

By: Patrick Freiwah

The Russian parliament is holding a special session.

What is Vladimir Putin planning?

Presumably it is about the further procedure in the Ukraine conflict.

Moscow - general mobilization?

Reorganization in the Kremlin?

Rather surprisingly for Western observers, a special session of the directly elected Russian lower house has been scheduled for Friday (July 15).

An extraordinary meeting of the State Duma in Russia is considered a rather rare event.

The results could be all the more significant in the middle of the Ukraine war.

The appointment follows shortly after statements by Vladimir Putin, according to which the "military special operation" in neighboring Ukraine has not yet really started.

According to the Reuters news agency, the reason for the special meeting, which was scheduled at unusually short notice, is unclear even for the domestic media.

However, it is obvious that Russia's further action in the Ukraine conflict will be an issue in the Duma.

A Duma session will be held in Moscow in mid-July.

Vladimir Putin could make groundbreaking announcements regarding the Ukraine conflict.

© Alexei Nikolsky/Imago

Ukraine war: Putin and State Duma with special session - "confrontation of the elites"?

According to the Swiss tabloid

Blick

, the Russian president has to do a difficult balancing act: On the one hand, the 69-year-old Putin wants to consolidate his power.

At the same time, the military strategy in the contested areas of Ukraine is under scrutiny.

The land gains of the Russian armed forces in the relevant regions cannot be dismissed out of hand.

However, the slow advance in the Ukraine war was bought dearly when it comes to the losses of the Russian army.

According to unconfirmed data from the Ukrainian army leadership, over 37,000 Russian soldiers have lost their lives so far in the war.

There are also rumors of tensions within the Russian government, including a “confrontation between the elites”.

A politician from Putin's United Russia party commented on the agenda of the upcoming meeting: "We plan to deal with at least 60 topics," said Vladimir Vasilyev.

More than 80 draft laws would be discussed at the special meeting in Moscow.

also read

The US apparently operates a secret command structure in Ukraine - modeled on Afghanistan

Putin threatens "catastrophe": Now the ordeal begins in Germany

Russia: Is Putin planning a new Soviet Union?

Unification of three countries planned

Statements in the Kremlin-loyal Telegram channel "General SVR" make it clear that a new edition of a kind of USSR is also at stake: Accordingly, the ratification of a union treaty is planned at the landmark meeting on Friday - with the aim of bringing together the Russian-speaking population of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.

What this intention means in connection with the battered neighboring country seems clear: It is likely to be those separatist areas that the Russian military was able to take over on the basis of previous offensives.

In the course of this, the Russian leadership could wrestle with the fundamental question of what exactly and which Ukraine strategy can actually be regarded as a victory in the "operation".

Putin probably has to bring moderate representatives in the Russian parliament onto a common course with the hardliners.

Some voices would advocate a "sharp escalation" in the Ukraine conflict, with the incorporation of further regions such as Zaporizhia, Odessa or the Republic of Moldova.

In any case, not only Russian media are expecting important decisions for the further course of the war from the special session of the Duma on July 15.

Russia and the Ukraine conflict: what is the Duma actually?

In the Russian parliamentary system, the legislature is a federal assembly.

It consists of two chambers: the Federation Council as the upper house and the directly elected State Duma.

Of the total of 450 seats in Parliament, the latter has 325 seats.

The Ukraine War in Pictures - Destruction, Resistance and Hope

View photo gallery

Formally, the Duma passes federal laws that apply throughout Russia and forwards them to President Putin for approval.

In theory, the body can even withdraw confidence from the government by launching impeachment proceedings against the country's most powerful man.

In principle, however, the parties represented in the Duma are considered loyal to the Kremlin.

Meanwhile, a Lavrov spokeswoman warns the United States against "open military confrontation between nuclear powers."

(PF)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-07-17

You may like

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-27T16:45:54.081Z

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.