During the first session of government in 2023, Russian ruler Vladimir Putin lost his temper with his trade and industry minister Denis Manturov and verbally abused him for several minutes. Manturov is a close confidant of Putin and has been part of his government team for several years. Observers say the incident is serious.
It was a usual appearance for the Russian regime: President Putin exchanged views with his ministers via videoconference and gave them instructions. The long sessions are broadcast on state television. For long-time Moscow journalist Emma Burrows, the message the Kremlin wants to send is clear: Putin has everything under control.
“It’s taking too long”
However, that turned out not to be the case at Wednesday’s meeting. Manturov reported on the production of aircraft, helicopters and ships – he was interrupted by the Russian rulers and complained that some companies had not yet received government contracts for 2023. “It’s all taking way too long,” he said angrily, accusing his minister of bureaucratic delays in ordering civil and military aircraft (see tweet below).
Putin should know where the hurdles lie: Russia has been penalized for its invasion of Ukraine and therefore currently has no access to Western technology – not even aircraft. The transition of the Russian aviation industry to domestic production without this technology is a challenge that will take time.
“Why are you playing dumb?”
Minister Manturov tried to explain this to the president, but the facts did not seem to interest him. “Why are you playing stupid?” snapped a clearly impatient Putin. “When will there be contracts?” he asked with raised eyebrows.
The trade minister then assured that “in the near future” every effort would be made to secure the aircraft production contracts. Putin was not satisfied with that either: “It must be ready within a month, understood?” he barked at Manturov. His meek answer: “Yes.”
Will Putin fire his darling?
Manturov was previously one of Putin’s favorites, but now the Kremlin chief has lost his temper, Russia expert Anders Aslund said on Twitter. “If Putin doesn’t fire him after that, it looks very weak,” he wrote. According to Aslund, the dispute also shows that Putin regularly disobeys.
In the past, Putin has not shied away from publicly reprimanding top politicians. This happened to the head of Russia’s foreign intelligence service, Sergey Naryshkin, shortly before the outbreak of war in February 2022, when he hesitantly suggested giving Western countries another chance. For journalist Burrows, such performances create a “culture of fear” in Russia, as she wrote on Twitter. To avoid reprimanding Putin, problems are glossed over and blame shifted.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
