The Presidential Kiss Incident
Russian President Vladimir Putin kissed a child during a visit to an Olympic reserve school, sparking widespread media coverage. The incident was first reported by the Ukrainian outlet Glavcom. Sociologists and political strategists suggest this gesture is an attempt to counter a seven-week continuous decline in public trust toward the president.
During his trip to Saint Petersburg, Putin approached a 10-year-old female gymnast and kissed her on the forehead. Such behavior is not new; it has occurred multiple times in the past. In 2006, at the Kremlin, Putin kissed the belly of five-year-old Nikita Konkin. That boy later enrolled in a military training center affiliated with the Ryazan State Radio Engineering University. In 2018, Putin kissed a young boy on the forehead during a visit to Morozov Children's Hospital. More recently, in June 2023, following Yevgeny Prigozhin's rebellion, Putin traveled to Dagestan where he demonstratively kissed several children.
Trust Levels and Public Image
The Telegram channel 'We Can Explain' has calculated that over his tenure, Putin has kissed at least 29 children who are not his own. Meanwhile, trust and approval ratings for Putin have sunk to their lowest levels since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, with a negative trend persisting for six and a half weeks. A steady erosion of confidence has been recorded for the past six weeks.
According to expert Viktoria Rosenberg, these actions illustrate the 'absoluteness of monarchy,' where controlling society is a key element of an authoritarian regime. In 2006, Putin himself admitted he did not remember the name of the child he had kissed. These details highlight the president's efforts to maintain a positive public image amid declining popular trust.
This incident, which has drawn significant media attention, underscores Vladimir Putin's strategy of preserving his personal brand during a period of social strain and waning popularity.
Regular displays of such public affection toward children can be interpreted as an attempt to bridge the gap between the president and the people, especially at a time when trust in the government continues to fall. It may also reflect the Russian leadership's desire to highlight positive social moments as a counterbalance to growing public discontent.
As public trust in President Putin continues to wane, recent reports indicate a significant drop in his approval ratings, now at 68%. This decline coincides with the Kremlin's decision to pause the Telegram ban following remarks from spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. To understand the broader implications of these developments on Putin's leadership and public perception, read more about the shifting dynamics in Putin's approval ratings.