Banner Left

Analysts doubt Putin will feel pressure change direction

Analysts doubt Putin will feel pressure change direction

MOSCOW – In a grim but forceful speech, President Vladimir Putin warned Saturday that Russians must do more to safeguard the nation’s unity – an indication that he is unlikely to soften his policy on separatist-minded Chechnya even as the death toll from the school hostage crisis rises past 340.

Huge, harrowing photos filled Russian newspapers a day after the bloody end of the school seizure, and the stories burst with grisly details – but analysts doubted that the huge loss of life or negative public opinion would be sufficient to force Putin’s hand. The government hasn’t directly blamed Chechen rebels for the hostage-taking, but officials have said that one of the militants’ demands was that Russian troops leave the region.Putin has staunchly refused to enter into negotiations with the rebels or to consider granting Chechnya independence.Instead, he has pledged to wipe them out.”Terrorists believe that they are stronger than us, that they may scare us with their cruelty, paralyse our will and demoralise our society,” Putin said during a televised address to the nation on Saturday.Some observers called for Putin to reassess his approach.But in the absence of broad public criticism, he may feel little pressure to change course.”Domestic public opinion is not a significant factor.After all, it’s Ossetian children who were killed and xenophobia is very high in our country,” said Leonid Sedov, a political analyst.”Perhaps if they had blown up the State Duma (parliament) then they might think about changing policy.”The wave of supportive statements by foreign leaders demonstrated that Putin had secured the sympathy of the West, Sedov said.”The policy in Chechnya will be continued.Putin isn’t showing flexibility.His words about needing to save the children were aimed at getting sympathy from the West, which he has done,” he said.Putin gave no hint of what his response to the crisis would be, but so far he has shown unwavering commitment to his strategy of a massive military presence in the republic combined with what appear to be token efforts to restore a measure of civil society.With firm control over the media, parliament and the security establishment, Putin will likely weather whatever storm this approach generates, analysts said.For many Russians, the impact of Friday’s events was muted by limited coverage from state-controlled television.Izvestia commentator Irina Petrovskaya slammed state-controlled Channel One and Rossiya for continuing to broadcast as normal for the first hour of the school’s storming by Russian forces.Channel One finally broke its silence by reporting on the situation for just 10 minutes.”After which, as if nothing had happened, it started showing the latest episode of (the soap opera) ‘Women in Love,”‘ Petrovskaya wrote.Saturday’s newspapers and Russia’s NTV television didn’t back away from the horrifying images, however.Corpses of children lined up in a row were shown on Izvestia’s centre pages, while Kommersant’s front page portrayed a girl, in shock, her face blackened with blood, being rushed to safety.The survivors’ accounts painted wracking details:bombs dangling from basketball hoops over children’s’ heads, famished youngsters eating flowers plucked from a cabinet by the toilets.The accounts also gave voice to the hostage takers and their demands.”‘How are we guilty before you?’ asked Sima Albegova, the school’s cook, who told her story to the Kommersant newspaper.”Because you vote for your Putin,” one of the militants answered.”And he doesn’t give a damn about you.He didn’t even come here to speak with us.”Pavel Felgenhauer, an independent defence analyst based in Moscow, said that most Russians probably weren’t that surprised by the horrific end to the school hostage crisis.”There will be some angry words in the press, but that’s all,” he said.- Nampa-APThe government hasn’t directly blamed Chechen rebels for the hostage-taking, but officials have said that one of the militants’ demands was that Russian troops leave the region.Putin has staunchly refused to enter into negotiations with the rebels or to consider granting Chechnya independence.Instead, he has pledged to wipe them out.”Terrorists believe that they are stronger than us, that they may scare us with their cruelty, paralyse our will and demoralise our society,” Putin said during a televised address to the nation on Saturday.Some observers called for Putin to reassess his approach.But in the absence of broad public criticism, he may feel little pressure to change course.”Domestic public opinion is not a significant factor.After all, it’s Ossetian children who were killed and xenophobia is very high in our country,” said Leonid Sedov, a political analyst.”Perhaps if they had blown up the State Duma (parliament) then they might think about changing policy.”The wave of supportive statements by foreign leaders demonstrated that Putin had secured the sympathy of the West, Sedov said.”The policy in Chechnya will be continued.Putin isn’t showing flexibility.His words about needing to save the children were aimed at getting sympathy from the West, which he has done,” he said.Putin gave no hint of what his response to the crisis would be, but so far he has shown unwavering commitment to his strategy of a massive military presence in the republic combined with what appear to be token efforts to restore a measure of civil society.With firm control over the media, parliament and the security establishment, Putin will likely weather whatever storm this approach generates, analysts said.For many Russians, the impact of Friday’s events was muted by limited coverage from state-controlled television.Izvestia commentator Irina Petrovskaya slammed state-controlled Channel One and Rossiya for continuing to broadcast as normal for the first hour of the school’s storming by Russian forces.Channel One finally broke its silence by reporting on the situation for just 10 minutes.”After which, as if nothing had happened, it started showing the latest episode of (the soap opera) ‘Women in Love,”‘ Petrovskaya wrote.Saturday’s newspapers and Russia’s NTV television didn’t back away from the horrifying images, however.Corpses of children lined up in a row were shown on Izvestia’s centre pages, while Kommersant’s front page portrayed a girl, in shock, her face blackened with blood, being rushed to safety.The survivors’ accounts painted wracking details:bombs dangling from basketball hoops over children’s’ heads, famished youngsters eating flowers plucked from a cabinet by the toilets.The accounts also gave voice to the hostage takers and their demands.”‘How are we guilty before you?’ asked Sima Albegova, the school’s cook, who told her story to the Kommersant newspaper.”Because you vote for your Putin,” one of the militants answered.”And he doesn’t give a damn about you.He didn’t even come here to speak with us.”Pavel Felgenhauer, an independent defence analyst based in Moscow, said that most Russians probably weren’t that surprised by the horrific end to the school hostage crisis.”There will be some angry words in the press, but that’s all,” he said.- Nampa-AP

Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!

Latest News