President Vladimir Putin Engages in Kremlin Spectacle, Enlisting the Help of an 8-Year-Old Girl to Lobby Finance Minister for Budget Funds

President Vladimir Putin of Russia welcomed an eight-year-old girl, Raisat Akipova, to the Kremlin on July 4, engaging in a rather unconventional act. Together, they made a phone call to the Finance Minister, Anton Siluanov, requesting a budget grant for her home region. The Kremlin released a video of this peculiar encounter, which is part of a series of appearances by Putin to demonstrate his compassion, concern, and leadership following a recent armed mutiny.

Initially, Finance Minister Siluanov appeared bemused by the unexpected call and momentarily failed to respond to the young girl's greeting. However, he swiftly agreed to provide additional funding for her region in southern Russia. Putin expressed his satisfaction, exclaiming, "Excellent!" He then informed Raisat that they had secured 5 billion roubles (approximately $55.6 million) for Dagestan, her home region. Throughout the conversation, Putin chuckled with amusement and made a similar call to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

The purpose of this visit was a follow-up to Putin's recent trip to Dagestan, during which he interacted with a large crowd—a departure from his usual protocol. The Kremlin highlighted this as evidence of the President's overwhelming support within Russian society, particularly in light of the brief mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group, which had raised concerns about the risk of civil unrest in Russia.

Putin explained to Raisat that he invited her and her parents to Moscow because he was saddened by a picture of her in tears after failing to meet him during his visit to Dagestan. The President's gesture aimed to make amends and show his care for the concerns of young citizens.

In this unusual and attention-grabbing event, Putin's interaction with Raisat demonstrated his attempt to project an image of a compassionate and hands-on leader, addressing the needs of individual citizens and showcasing his control over the nation.