One thing we know that Putin reads is history. He’s keen on chronicles and biography of great Russians, presumably with an eye to his own reputation. And this may help explain why he’s increasingly trying to control his country’s backstory.
In Russia, 1 September is not just the start of the school year, it is Den’ Znanii or ‘knowledge day’. There is a whole ritual, a celebratory welcome to all the new crop of children coming from kindergarten to big school, with sonorous speeches about the value of learning and the promise of a new generation.
For the head of state, this is usually a softball opportunity to play the role of father of the nation. This year is, of course, a more awkward affair; students’ temperatures were scanned while teachers and support staff were tested for coronavirus. So this was a time for particular reassurance.
Putin is trying to mobilise the so-called Great Patriotic War in his drive to assert his country’s greatness
Putin’s official
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