Putin’s New Year speech was very different and bizarrely shows the Russian leader used actors to fill the rows of ‘soldiers’ behind him.
Why Putin chose to address citizens from, what the Russian Government said, was the Southern Military District of Russia is one thing, then his choice of background faces is another thing that has sent tongues wagging online.
Internet sleuths are setting social media alight with claims that the Russian president used ‘paid extras’ in his New Year’s Eve address, after they found previous official photographs featuring a blonde woman with a striking resemblance to one pictured during the speech.
Appearing with a gray tie and what looked like heavy amounts of make-up, Putin stood in front of a group of soldiers.
Yet something looked out of place. Some of those people, especially a blonde woman in the first row behind him, looked rather familiar. Kyiv Post double down the suspicion.
All were from times when Putin was supposedly ‘with the common people of Russia’ engaged in various activities.
Based on the photos uncovered, it appears that the woman in question – referred to as ‘Natasha‘ in Ukrainian Telegram channels – is a woman of many talents, having been seen camping, fishing, selling things, and attending a church with Putin over the past few years.
This latest photo scandal suggests Putin would prefer to avoid direct interaction with his own people.
It also supports old rumors that the Federal Guard Service of the Russian Federation (FSO) – charged with protecting the Head of State and senior Russian officials – are carted out as actors for Putin’s ‘public’ events, which are in fact held at enclosed or secure facilities.
Thomas Kika, who writes for Newsweek, describes how the fourteen-month old war in Ukraine has left Russia beleaguered and is the main reason for delivering this year’s address against a backdrop of ‘soldiers.’
Tadeusz Giczan, a Belarussian journalist, remarked how the mysterious Natasha appeared to have popped up at various recent events attended by Putin, humorously noting her wide-ranging talents as ‘a soldier, a sailor, a devout Christian. God moves in a mysterious way.’
Putin’s public outings are reportedly known to be highly stage-managed so that the president always looks invincible.
