MOSCOW: Vladimir Putin’s pre-election nuclear sabre-rattling has raised the stakes in Moscow’s confrontation with the West on the eve of his fourth Kremlin term.
The 65-year-old former KGB officer is all but guaranteed to extend his rule until 2024 in a presidential election on March 18 that follows an anaemic campaign punctuated by international scandal. Since taking power 18 years ago, Putin has stamped his total authority on the country, silencing opposition and reasserting Moscow’s lost might abroad.
This has included sparking a fresh rivalry with the West, which Russia remains at odds with on numerous fronts, from its support for the …read more
Source: Pakistan Today
