Vladimir Putin escalated to power in 2000 as Russia struggled to maintain its global importance due to its economic crisis. At the time, the Euro coin was in the process of consolidation as the policies implemented after World War II led to supranational institutions looking to achieve the peace and stability of the European region. For that matter -as was envisioned- democracy and economic prosperity have to be put in place for its population.
But Putin didn't long for that. He was an emissary of the Russian Soviet elites educated to control the population in order to thrive in their richness. His goal was not to give his people economic freedom and democratic participation, but rather to entrench the elite and make sure they stayed in power forever. He was successful in doing so, ending democracy in Russia and becoming de facto a new Tsar. His strategy was as simple as bloody: Turn the power of the armed forces against the population, instead of serving it. Rule by brute force, not by reason. Yet he had to dismantle all the remaining democratic institutions built to create a system of checks-and-balances following the model of western Europe, a system that proved effective in creating a strong market and sustained economic growth. Again, he solved the problem by turning the armed forces against Russian Institutions, despite the condemnation of the international community.
Such a simple and cruel model of governance reached its egoistic goal: Sacrificing the people of Russia in behalf of its elite, blind followers of their Tsar. Yet Putin was not satisfied with a local victory. He wanted to create an exportable model following the steps of communism in the twentieth century. A refined version of the police state that worked both as an interior policy as well as an exterior. He reached fascism. The principle was used by dictator Hitler the century before: You get the power using democracy, but instead of fulfilling your promises and making concessions to the political opposition in order to create peace, you dismantle the system and make sure no one else makes the decisions but you. As long as you don't interfere with other countries' elites, there are no incentives for other countries to rescue your imprisoned population, since voting for you -or not voting at all- was that people's fault. Moreover, you can set yourself as an example of just how rich, powerful and successful you can become if you sacrifice the general well-being of the people in behalf of yours, if only you are willing to use repression with enough strenght. And there are other countries willing to hear that rhetoric.
It was no susprise that after Putin set the example other nations followed suit. The democratic trend that gave western people their way of life started reversing. The international institutions like United Nations or the International Criminal Court started losing their enforcement capabilities, and freedoms and economic opportunities for the population started deteriorating. The authoritarian rule was set in place.
However, truth finds its ways. People notice when the pathway they want their country to go is no longer the path of their leader, and start making comparisons. In particular, the superior lifestyle of the neighboring country Ukraine was an anhelated goal for the Russians, especially since the new President Volodymir Zelensky had been elected. He was the example of a leader chosen by the people, a man fulfilling the goals of freedom and opportunities, since he came from the people and not from the elites, and was serving the people and not the elites, just as Barack Obama had done in the United States. Zelensky was the promise and Putin was the curse. And when Putin felt unmasked he could no longer stand his envy and his self-disdain. And Putin started a war.
We should all be aware of what Putin represents today. A captive country. A war monger. And a model of impoverishment and repression. People want economic opportunities. People want the freedom to elect their leaders. And people want freedom of speech, freedom to move and freedom to work. None of that is Putin today. Only death and destruction. We must fight the monster and everything Vladimir Putin represents. As an ancient Arab proverb says, when they asked the Pharaoh why he had become a tyrant he replied, "No one stopped me".
