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Russia, which ranks third in the world in terms of confirmed infections, eased the quarantine this week as Putin prepares for a July 1 vote on constitutional amendments that could pave the way for him to rule the country until 2036.
Putin congratulated his compatriots on the occasion of Russia Day during a flag-raising ceremony in western Moscow.
He was surrounded by loyal assistants, including the famous pediatrician Leonidas Rošalas.
Putin: I am convinced that the vast majority of our citizens take the same position and support it.
The 67-year-old president, who appeared at an outdoor ceremony without a protective mask, smiled and praised the spirit, traditions and culture of the Russian people.
According to him, it is natural that Russians want these “fundamental, fundamental” values to be reflected in the constitution.
“I am convinced that the vast majority of our citizens take the same position and support it,” Putin said.
During the ceremony, he also awarded work awards to L. Rosal, a popular Soviet-era actor Yuri Solomin, and others.
Putin, who led Russia for two decades, sparked a political storm in January by proposing a review of the country’s constitution and the adoption of amendments that would be the first since 1993.
Later, following a carefully prepared scenario, he approved at the last minute a proposal to “cancel” the current presidential term, thereby allowing himself to remain in power until 2036.
Scanpix photo / ITAR-TASS / Russia prepares for referendum on constitutional amendments
While the number of COVID-19 infections in Russia is declining, many Kremlin doctors and critics say the quarantine in the outbreak in former Moscow has been eased prematurely.
Critics accuse Putin of rushing to mobilize support ahead of a controversial vote on the constitution, with surveys of independent public opinion companies showing that the president’s ratings are falling.
On Friday night there will be a concert in Red Square, but authorities say its participants will abide by the physical distance rules.
On June 24, Putin will also lead a major military parade to commemorate victory in World War II.
However, both the vote and the parade had to be postponed due to the quarantine.
In recent weeks, Putin has worked mainly from his country of residence.
“High risk”
The previous day, 8,987 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Russia, bringing the total to 511,423.
In the Russian capital, the most populous city in Europe, 1,714 new cases have been confirmed.
On Thursday, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin urged people not to attend massive events.
“This is a great risk for you, your children and your loved ones,” the mayor said on television.
12 million The permit system was revoked on Tuesday in Moscow, which had a population of 2,000, and Muscovites welcomed the decision to enjoy the sun outside.
Russia has confirmed 6,715 coronavirus deaths, far fewer than in other countries with large COVID-19 outbreaks.
Critics question Russia’s official death rates and accuse authorities of failing to report all cases to reduce the magnitude of the crisis.
Moscow health officials said Wednesday that the Russian capital had the highest death rate in a decade last month, with more than a third of those deaths related to a coronavirus pandemic.
A report by the Moscow Health Department said a total of 15,713 deaths were recorded in the city in May, including 5,260 victims of the COVID-19 coronavirus infection.
This death rate in the city was the highest since the summer of 2010, when Moscow was overwhelmed by an unprecedented heat wave and suffocating smog from burning forests and bogs.
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