"Also, foreign policies are one of the main foundations of his support within the country. Putin needs to guarantee national unity, and for this he needs an enemy. "But Independent political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin said the president's approach to the international community would have to shift over the next term. "Russia hasn't been so isolated since the Soviet war in Afghanistan," he told AFP, referring to the 1979-1989 conflict.After the annexation of Crimea, "Putin needs to change his soldiers' boots for some trainers," Oreshkin said. "For Putin to write his place in history, he needs to pick the right moment to go.

Source: Economic Times May 06, 2018 04:52 UTC