Now only into space

It was about twenty years ago, in the mid-80s. In the foreign department of the Red Star, there was a rule - the newcomer for the first time went to the embassy of a foreign state in the company of a more experienced employee. So I had to accompany the officer who had just come to the newspaper to the North Korean embassy to watch the next documentary about the “great leader” of Comrade Kim Jong Ira. One and a half hour movie consisted of 50-second plots. Here is the “bright sun” visits a rural cooperative, but here is a military unit. Then a new building, and then the hospital. In fact, the peasants, builders and newborns were a background for the same group in the foreground-the leader, actively gesticulating, explains something to the officials leaning in a respectful semi-column. In the hands of each a recorder, so as not to miss a word from the valuable instructions of the leader. My inexperienced colleague “broke” on a visit to the hydroelectric power station. He suddenly shook from soundless laughter. Stopping laughter, he whispered to me: "And now he ordered the turbine to twist the other direction."

I remembered this story yesterday, when all news programs showed Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin while driving KamAZ for a long, long time. The president visited the wonderful team of our racers. He showed off behind the wheel of a powerful car, stood next to the winners of the heavy race. He did not seem to give instructions. And the day before yesterday, he, the best friend of the artists, visited the Bolshoi Theater, where he decided exactly how and at what time the best opera theaters of the country should be repaired and restored. It’s good that he did not tell the ballerina how to do Fuete.

Since there is no practical meaning in such visits, in the sudden passion for the change of places, another explanation should be sought in the suddenly discovered. It is possible that the Kremlin political technologists invited the head of state to take part in the PR campaign to raise a decreased rating. They decided (having every reason for this) that the image of a strict leader who, sitting in the Kremlin, hears the reports of subordinates and gives the correct orders, no longer works. Because this activity has no obvious consequences for the subordinate people. Putin’s orders are on its own, life is by itself. Although in Moscow, at least in Ryazan, even in Chechnya. So it took a demonstration of the activity of Vladimir Putin against the backdrop of active and pleasant people, and not bureaucrats from the Security Council.

Something similar, who remembers, took place in 1999 - 2000. Vladimir Putin flew on a fighter, kissed a sledgehammer on an atomic submarine, and struggled with a bakery harvester. And the rating grew like yeast. Just do not forget that for many then the excellent physical condition of Putin played the main role, which so favorably distinguished him from the weak predecessor. As a matter of fact, a demonstration of the excellent motor activity of the elderly Kim Il Sen was the main goal of propaganda films in North Korea. Now the Russians have been convinced: healthy liver and heart are very important for the state leader, but there are more important things - for example, the ability of the leader to resolve crisis situations or at least not create them. So now Putin’s trips on KAMAZ can rather cause irritation.

But, perhaps, the current escapades of the president are not the result of a cunning plan of political strategists. Perhaps those people who love to talk about the loneliness of the president are right. How can they not believe. In the company with Patrushev and numerous Ivanov, any normal person will feel loneliness. And in general, Putin does not care where to go - at least to the near Moscow training ground, even to the Bolshoi Theater. If so, then soon the places for visits will end. It remains only to fly into space.