Riding shirtless into the fray: new campaign song tries to recast undersized Putin as heroic warrior

5-foot-5 (165 cm)-tall Russian dictator Vladimir Putin could be riding topless into combat soon, according to his new “warrior” persona released as part of his “re-election” campaign, Telegram channel Agenstvo.Novosti reported on March 13.

The undersized dictator is seen standing shoulder to shoulder with soldiers attacking Ukraine in a new campaign song.

Read also: Students in occupied Ukraine forced to ‘campaign’ for Putin

At a campaign rally in Volgograd on March 12 organized by his United Russia party, the crowd joined in singing rapper ST’s Give Him Strength. The song represents a new narrative in Putin's campaign, casting the famously shirtless dictator as a warrior alongside his soldiers, hoping for a long-awaited triumph on the battlefield.

The lyrics express admiration for Putin, portraying him as a hero for the older generation and an idol for youth.

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"Give him strength, so he may prevail,” the song’s lyrics profess.

“He's a hero to the elders and an idol to the young."

A music video for the song was released, featuring official footage with Putin on Feb. 24, 2024 — the second anniversary of the full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine that he launched.

Read also: UK intelligence reveals potential theme of Putin’s 2024 election campaign

The dictator's favorite band, Lube, quickly covered the song, and it was also added to the repertoire of the Russian National Guard’s Song and Dance Ensemble.

Russian occupying forces planned to hold “elections” in the temporarily occupied territories over three days — on March 15, 16, and 17.

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said that voting in the occupied territories of Ukraine would be “illegal and null.”

Fighters from the Freedom of Russia Legion, the Russian Volunteer Corps, and the Siberian Battalion have kicked off a joint operation and have moved into the Belgorod and Kursk oblasts, reported former Russian MP and opposition activist Ilya Ponomarev on Facebook on March 12.

The Freedom of Russia Legion declared their mission to liberate Russia from dictator Vladimir Putin. In a video message, the Legion stated they are "heading to the polls."

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine