Latest war between Ukraine and Russia: Putin is more confident than ever after his inaugural speech; Plan to “kill Zelensky” stopped | World News

We reported on Vladimir Putin’s fifth inauguration as Russian president.

The ceremony took place at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow and our correspondent Ivor Bennett was there to witness the entire event.

He also interviewed Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov about the state of democracy in Russia and the lack of opposition during the March presidential election.

Bennett asked Mr. Peskov: “Western leaders and Western governments believe that Vladimir Putin has turned Russia into a dictatorship. Why do you think this isn’t the case?”

Mr. Peskov replied: “That is not the case.”

“It’s just propaganda, it’s crude propaganda, nothing else.”

He continued that Russia is “purely democratic,” adding: “We choose our power. We choose our power. We elect our president. We vote for the president or don’t want to vote for the president.”

“And we insist that we have the right to do it the way we want.”

“And we don’t want a third country to interfere in our decisions and preferences.”

Asked whether the lack of resistance to Vladimir Putin in Russia was democratic, Mr Peskov said: “But there is resistance in the country, of course the conditions here are much harsher because we are in a state of war.”

Mr. Peskov used the word “war” twice in the interview – typically the Kremlin refers to its invasion of Ukraine as a “special military operation” – a term he has also used once.

Ivor Bennett then asked whether it was even more important for the public to have the right to express themselves in wartime.

“No, on the contrary. Tougher measures are needed to ensure victory and ensure we achieve our goals,” Mr. Peskov replied.

Asked whether this was democratic, Mr Peskov insisted: “It is, it is.”

He added that Western media in Europe and the US live in “the same circumstances.”