Vladimir Putin Is Not The Russian People, But The Ukraine War Still Hurts Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin is now facing the reality that the Ukraine war is having an impact on the Russian economy. But as tensions escalate between Russia and the United States and its NATO allies, some people are standing up and pointing out the Russian people are not Putin and should not be feared or hated.

In a related report by the Inquisitr, even if Vladimir Putin threatens World War 3, tens of thousands of the Russian people disagree and are allowed to publicly demonstrated and voice their disagreement with the Russian president. Nigel Farage, leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party, suggests that the U.S. and Russia need to stop the saber rattling over Ukraine, claiming instead that President obama should enlist Putin to focus on the larger threat of the Islamic State. The Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov has also been suggesting the Kremlin and the West should hit the reset button on relations, although he also blames the United States for making this difficult.

According to the Pew Research Center, 52 percent of Russians believe that Ukraine has “become a puppet in the hands of the West and the U.S.A., who are pursuing an anti-Russia policy.” While this shows the disagreement between Russians over Vladimir Putin’s policies, every Russian is facing the results of the international conflict.

The Russian economy is thought to be on the verge of a recession and the ruble has dropped in value to a record low, falling in value by thirty percent since Putin became President. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) originally forecast economic growth of 3.9 percent in Russia in 2013, but in actuality the Russian economy only increased by 1.3 percent. Global investors pulled about $850 million out of the country in 2014 and already 2015 is expected to be worse. The recent arrest of billionaire Vladimir Evtushenkov may also greatly increase the rate of divestment in Russia.

“There will be a long-lasting consequences for Russia,” said Michael McFaul, former American Ambassador in Russia. “It will be a moment of great destruction, because Russia is on a trajectory, a tragedy for all what he did when Putin to change his ways.”

When Vladimir Putin met with the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev he also discussed the relationship between the two countries in the terms of Russia’s economy.

“Our bilateral relations are developing within the framework of friendship and brotherhood,” said Putin. “Despite global problems and the problems in the Russian economy, our economic relations with Azerbaijan is moving in a positive direction.”

The toll an economic recession could exact on the average Russian cannot be underestimated, which many Americans understand considering we’re still fighting our own economic woes. If worse comes to worse, it will be the Russian people who suffer the most, not the leadership.

Writing for the Daily Northwestern, writer Blair Dunbar is an American student who has lived in Russia this year and she wants to remind everyone that Vladimir Putin is not the Russian people.

“The role of the American press seemed to be twofold: make Russian President Vladimir Putin a villain while insisting that Russians hate Americans. The Russian press’ goal didn’t seem too different…. Too often governments become synonymous with the people of a country. Obama becomes the all-embodying representation of the United States, and Putin becomes the all-too-conspicuous symbol of Russia…. As unrest occurs, it’s important to remember that people — whatever the country or whatever the religion — are not defined by a single governing body. Just as it would be unfair to hold all Russians accountable for the actions of Putin, it would be unfair to hold all of Palestine responsible for Hamas’ actions or all Israelis for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions.”

Dunbar writes that every Russian she has met “loves America” and has “never ostracized for being American.” The same could not be said for Presidents Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin.