Coronavirus scuppers Vladimir Putin’s grand plans, but can he bounce back?

The timing of the pandemic, hitting just as the Russian leader was unveiling major constitutional reforms, is seen as ‘a powerful blow to his plans’

Putin has weathered many crises over 20 years in power but observers say if the Kremlin cannot address economic problems, ‘there will be protests’

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Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:26am, 9 May 2020Updated: 2:17am, 9 May 2020

The bombastic military parade through Moscow’s Red Square on Saturday was slated to be the spectacle of the year on the Kremlin’s calendar.

Standing with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron, President Vladimir Putin would have overseen a 90-minute procession of Russia’s military might, showcasing 15,000 troops and the latest hardware.

But that was before the coronavirus pandemic.

Now, military jets will roar over an eerily quiet Moscow, streaming red, white and blue smoke to mark 75 years since the defeat of Nazi Germany. Putin will lay flowers at a war memorial near an abandoned Red Square and address a nation growing angry with his handling of the country.

The parade is not the only victim of the coronavirus pandemic, which has crippled Russia’s economy, hospitalised the prime minister and slashed Putin’s approval ratings.

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Russians had been due last month to cast their votes on constitutional reforms that would have paved the way for Putin to stay in power until 2036, but those plans too were scuppered by the virus.