About Vladimir Putin's upcoming message to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

Expert opinion. Political scientist, head of the Agency for Strategic Communications Vadim Samodurov - about Vladimir Putin's upcoming message to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

February 24 will mark one year since the start of the special military operation (SVO) in Ukraine. This anniversary in itself requires a certain summing up and some public statements by the authorities, because certain expectations and questions have already accumulated in all layers of society: how the authorities see the goals of the special operation today, to what extent they intend to go in achieving these goals, and so on. Therefore, there is no doubt that the dates were not chosen by chance, and the start of the offensive of Russian troops in the east of Ukraine is the main reason and a good background to address the message to the Federal Assembly right now, when successes have begun at the front.
But it is hardly worth counting on the fact that the message itself will become something breakthrough, new and meaningful. Unfortunately, during this year, the authorities have not appeared any new meanings that can be offered to society. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has already partially outlined some areas of the upcoming message, saying that Russia's prospects are "absolutely positive", "the Russian govement is working brilliantly" - and further in the same spirit.
Most likely, in addition to life-affirming assessments of the country's prospects and the work of the authorities "in the most difficult conditions" of the crisis and pandemic, the message will pay special attention to national security issues and substantiation of the need for military action in Ukraine and the losses that Russia is suffering, although, of course, the topic of losses will, as always, be touched upon formally and casually.
It is no secret to anyone that there is no unambiguous understanding among the Russian elites on the need for military action in Ukraine, as there is no cohesion and unity, therefore, one of the main goals of the current message is, in my opinion, not even articulating any meanings by the authorities, but simply the ritual meaning of this event: to gather in in one place, the top of the ruling class, so that there would be no thoughts and temptations to disown the policy and say "we had nothing to do with it."
The only difference between this message and the previous ones will be, perhaps, that this time hardly anyone will fall asleep during the president's speech.