It seems that in Russia, life is good for those who know how to please those in power. The ways of pleasing them vary, of course. For example, I watched as Mr. Mikhalkov criticized a certain Bykov. They say Bykov is a writer, though I haven’t read him. This Bykov claims that Putin’s constitutional reform is merely a power grab to become president for life. As Putin himself put it, almost with regret, it is his destiny. Well, of course, you can’t fight destiny.
Defending the Leader
Mikhalkov lashed out at Bykov, accusing him of not understanding how Putin cares for the people. According to him, the pension indexation clause Putin added to the constitution is proof of this. He even wrote God into it. And he added a provision so that future presidents won’t give away Russian land, even 25 years from now. Of course, some land was already given to China, but that was just to “adjust the border.” And why give away the Taiga when the Chinese already easily export millions of cubic meters of timber without any formal agreements? They already see the Taiga as theirs, just as the Finns consider Karelia theirs.
What’s Missing from the Constitution
Many new things have been written into the revised constitution, but nothing about eradicating poverty in the country. Nothing about stopping the need for people to scrape together pennies for treating severely ill children. No mention of providing universal, high-quality healthcare for Russian citizens. Mikhalkov praised the president’s concern for pension indexation, but indexation happened even in the Soviet Union and Russia without being in the constitution.
The Friendship Between Putin and Mikhalkov
Putin seems honored to have a relationship with the noble Mikhalkov family. Mikhalkov’s father was Stalin’s close friend, and now his son is on close terms with Putin, a man few knew about before a certain notorious drunkard propelled him into the political sphere. The Mikhalkovs have lived well in Russia through the tsars, the Bolsheviks, and now under anti-communists. It’s a talent to live like that. So naturally, Mikhalkov will defend Putin. Under Putin, Mikhalkov became one of the country’s wealthiest people, owning an estate as grand as a nobleman’s.
From Soviet Kids to Anti-Soviets
I sometimes wonder: both Putin and Mikhalkov are products of the Soviet Union. They grew up as pioneers, joined the Komsomol, and eventually the Communist Party. Yet, at the first chance, they turned against the Soviet Union, the Communist Party, and everything connected to socialism. I believe this attitude toward socialism is no accident in the postwar generation. We, the prewar generation, were raised differently. We were taught from birth that we lived in the greatest country in the world, though we had no idea how others lived.
Disillusionment and New Influences
When the war started, I believed German workers wouldn’t fire on our soldiers—yet they did, with no trace of internationalism. The war generation faced less ideological pressure than we did before it. The postwar generation, represented by people like Mikhalkov and Putin, started learning about the world after the 20th Congress of the Communist Party, when Khrushchev criticized Stalin’s personality cult to protect himself, hurting the ideology as a whole.
Impact of Upbringing on Ideology
Putin’s and Mikhalkov’s youth coincided with a wave of anti-Stalinist literature and documentaries. I remember this period well, the so-called “thaw.” A new personality cult emerged to replace the old one. Khrushchev was ultimately removed, yet the ideology remained fractured, and Russophobia began openly in the republics. I was obliged, in my military duty, to explain the policies of the Soviet government. Putin and Mikhalkov came of age in this ideologically fractured time, shaping their worldview. Hence Putin’s reverence for Solzhenitsyn.
Final Reflections
I am 91 years old, and watching Putin, I’m increasingly convinced of the influence one’s early years have. Children naturally absorb the dominant ideology around them. Officers would come to my unit from universities with military training, so I know this mindset well. Listening to Putin’s jokes and remarks, I get the impression he’s a man of limited culture with little understanding of Russian history or classical literature. His speeches lack richness, and his culture seems shallow. Nevertheless, thrust into such a high office, he tries to present himself as an intellectual leader and cultivates relationships with cultured individuals. Yet, what isn’t inborn can’t be acquired.
