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Vladimir Putin went on Tuesday, April 12, to Vostotchny, where the new Russian cosmodrome is located, with his counterpart and ally Belarusian Alexander Lukashenko. A first exit, far from Moscow, since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine.
This first official trip by Vladimir Putin since February 24 outside Moscow is primarily a matter of symbolism. There is this prestigious place: this space launch base in Vostotchny, 7500 kilometers from Moscow. And then there is this date of April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin was the first man to be sent into space.
Basically, Vladimir Putin wants to be inflexible. “Impossible to isolate Russia from the rest of the world. They will not be able to close all the doors and windows”, specifies the Russian president. He recalls that the intervention in Ukraine was “essential” to protect the country. In his words, “the objectives are clear: on the one hand we help and save the people of Donbass and on the other we take measures to guarantee the security of the country”. For now, Vladimir Putin has no intention of letting his guard down.