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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov defended the response of Russian coronavirus
In an exclusive interview with CNN, Peskov said the virus did not cause a domestic political crisis for Russian President Vladimir Putin, and that the Russian health care system had saved lives despite being under great pressure.
This pandemic tends to make Putin rank high. The independent survey agency Levada-Center noted that Russia’s presidential ranking fell below 60% in April and May, a level not seen since he took office two decades ago – a decline that Peskov dismissed.
“We are concerned about this pandemic, and we are worried about the impact of this pandemic on the country’s economy,” Peskov said on Tuesday. “But President Putin has repeatedly stated that he does not care about his personal ranks, that in politics if you are truly a statesman, you should not think of your rank – because if you think about your rank, you will not be able to make responsible decisions . ”
Back in March, Putin said the spread of the virus through Russia was “under control.” But within a few weeks, Russia had the second highest number of coronavirus infections in the world – and the government was forced to postpone the referendum.
Asked what was wrong in Russia’s efforts to contain the virus, Peskov said, “There is nothing wrong except for the corona virus itself. First, we have a number of cities with high density. And the cities in the world are the most infected cities. That is what happened with Moscow. ”
He also suggested that the high number of cases in the country reflected a high level of testing. “Our country uses the maximum number of tests possible for the corona virus. And the more you test, the more you detect,” he said.
Peskov praised the low mortality rate for “effective” health care. “Have you ever thought about the possibility of the Russian health care system becoming more effective?” he said, adding that the public health system had “provided an opportunity for more people to stay alive.”
More than one hundred medical personnel have died so far, according to official figures. Health workers, who are skeptical of government figures, have compiled official counts from their colleagues killed in the fight against the pandemic: more than 300. Even official reports in state media admit that thousands of medical workers are now infected.
Peskov expressed his hope that the US presidential election in 2020 could present an opening for better US-Russian relations, and coronaviruses would encourage global discussion about handling future health crises. “We all have to sit down and think about this pandemic lesson for each country … [and] for the whole world, “he said.
He spoke to CNN on the day Moscow officially lifted the lock on its coronavirus, which allowed Moscow people to walk indefinitely outside their homes and travel around the city without an electronic card. And while thousands of new cases continue to be recorded every day, this step towards normalcy will ultimately enable the Kremlin’s plans to move forward: The government has rescheduled a referendum on constitutional changes for July 1.
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