After Putin's bravado, COVID-19 is starting to hit Russia hard

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Medical specialists push a stretcher likely carrying a human body outside a hospital for patients infected with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia, April 12, 2020. TATYANA MAKEYEVA/REUTERS

Moscow – Less than a month ago Russia's state-controlled media showed President Vladimir Putin talking about how the country had managed to contain the new coronavirus and keep the situation "under control."

Russia had only a few dozen officially reported cases then. A week later, Russia even sent planes loaded with medical aid to struggling Italy, and then to the United States and Serbia.

But Russia has now seen a surge in COVID-19 infections, and Putin's tone has become much less optimistic.

https://news.yahoo.com/putins-bravado-covid-19-starting-164131747.html

[sfstaxprep]

1. May God Give Him This Virus nt

[IggleDuer]

4. After MF-45 kisses him!

n/t

[tenderfoot]

2. Every right winger/authoritarian globally has responded to this repulsively

It is as if right wingers/authoritarians are truly horrible people.

[DetlefK]

3. I have two russian colleagues and they told me that there is massive domestic propaganda in Russia.

It's basically taken as a given that Putin's government lies. He is not beloved at all over there.

The problem is: There is no alternative to him. Everyone who would be a real political threat to his neverending reelections has been methodically discredited (e.g. the Navalny-movement exposing russian corruption). The only people actually running against Putin are extremist weirdos and russian C-list celebrities out for a publicity-stunt.

Plus, journalism is under constant attack in Russia. If you ask nasty questions, you don't get invited to press-conferences. Your offices get raided by police for suspicion of crimes. And GOD FORBID you have a foreign investor, because then the russian attorney-general has carte blanche to shut you down as a "foreign agent" on a whim without court-trial.

For example, there once was a newspaper who wished Putin good luck and that he would overcome the trouble in his marriage. The newspaper was closed down by the FSB one week later.