Taking the Shortcut to Popularity : How Putin’s Power is Sustained through Ukraine

In this article I argue that Vladimir Putin’s strong promotion of Russia’s annexation of Crimea and his hardline stance against the Ukraine are highly consistent with the basic modes of legitimation that he has been using throughout his three presidential tenures. His line of action is intimately bound up with his interpretation of Russia’s role and privileges as a great power. This great power theme is closely linked to fundamental sentiments of Russian national identity and therefore highly popular among the public. Moreover, through his actions Putin has demonstrated that he still is a formidable force to be reckoned with. The message is conveyed to the electorate that he is a strongman who is virtually irreplaceable at the helm of Russian state power. By many tokens Putin’s personal popularity was waning at the beginning of his third presidential term in office, but the conflict with Ukraine will at least in the short-term perspective mean a boost for his domestic popularity