From President to Divine Protector? Putin Elevates Himself to New Heights With Godly Rebrand

Until recently, Vladimir Putin insisted, at least publicly, that he didn’t want a cult of his personality. Not anymore. During the last three years of the war he started in Ukraine, he has embraced it. At his annual press conference last month, Putin nodded with a serious face and boasted about improving his skills – he enjoyed talking about himself more than ever. His lips pressed in a sour grimace, he described himself: “I joke less now, and I have almost stopped laughing.” The serious Putin t