ATwitter user with the handle ‘Dmitry’ tweetedyesterday Thursday 8 December a video of Russian President Vladimir Putin where he was speaking about Ukrainewhile holding a glass full of sparkling wine and appearing to be drunk, Yahoo News Australia reports.
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An appearance considered a first during Putin’s 20-year reign
The claims of Vladimir Putin appearing drunk are considered by analysts as a first for the Russian President who has never made a public appearance while being intoxicated, Newsweek reports.
Anna Nemtsova, a Moscow-based journalist, tweeted about Putin's 'intoxicated' speech by describing a number of bizarre sights during his 20-year reign -but nothing like this.
We’ve seen many staged photo&video shoots in 20 Years including half-naked Putin on a horse or diving for some Greek jugs,Putin flying w migratory birds or kissing a boy on the stomach but drunk speeches about Russian missiles striking neighbouring state must be Putin’s own act https://t.co/tMIOxmSdd6
— Anna Nemtsova (@annanemtsova) December 8, 2022
A similar view is shared by Evan Dyer a journalist for CBC, calling it a strange occurrence for Putin.
It is very strange to see Putin drunk in public.
In a tweet, Dyer draws attention to the fact that Putin’s soberness was central to his public image.
Very strange to see Putin drunk in public. Being sober in a hard-drinking country is central to his public image. It was the main contrast he drew between himself and Yeltsin. A big part of his appeal, especially to long-suffering Russian woman. But no doubt, he’s plastered here. https://t.co/jGHhEFkSLK
— Evan Dyer (@EvanDyerCBC) December 8, 2022
Anders Aslund, an economist and author, also considers this a first but goes further to say that Putin's state suggests he is realizing that he is a loser, while all Russians see that he is weak and losing the war.
This is the first time that I have seen Putin seeming drunk in any context. He talks nonsense as usual, but he seems to realize that he is a loser. Very interesting & promising. All Russians will see that he is drunk & weak. https://t.co/h2Q1EevJqR
— Anders Åslund (@anders_aslund) December 8, 2022
A ‘drunken’ but ‘daunting’ message
Despite his ‘intoxicated’ presentation, Putin delivered what has been described as a ‘daunting’ message to Ukraine by justifying Russia’s actions and vouching to continue the war, Yahoo News Australia reports:
There’s a lot of noise right now about our strikes against the energy infrastructure of the neighbouring country. Yes, we are doing it, but who started it? Who struck the Crimean bridge? Who blew up the power lines of the Kursk Nuclear Power Station? Who is not providing water to Donetsk.
With this, Putin was inferring that Ukraine was the first to attack infrastructure targets, this is why, according to him, Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure will continue:
Just as we make a move, do something in response, noise and crackle start for the whole universe. This will not prevent us from completing military objectives.
Sources used:
-YahooNewsAustralia: ‘“Drunk” Putin lashes out at Ukraine: “Who started it?”’
-Newsweek: ‘The Truth Behind the 'Red Phone': How the U.S. and Russia Really Connect’
-YahooNewsAustralia: ‘'Drunk' Putin's daunting message regarding Ukraine war’
