Vladimir Putin has a new watch. Russian state media want to see this as a sign of his commitment to promoting the domestic economy.
Moscow – Vladimir Putin recently got a new watch. What would be just a fashion statement for others is apparently a political message from the Russian President during the Ukraine war. It’s about promoting the domestic economy and taking a stand against Western sanctions, according to the Russian media.
Vladimir Putin exchanges a Swiss model for a watch of Russian origin
The Russian President actually liked to wear the Swiss luxury watch Blancpain Leman Aqualung Grande Date, although he was apparently also sometimes spotted wearing the IWC Pilot’s Watch Mark XVII. But now a watch model made by Russia is telling the Kremlin chief the time, like the Russian daily newspaper Kommersant reported. The Imperial Peterhof Factory (IPF) model has the same style as Putin’s previous watches: white metal, a black military-style dial, three hands, a date window and a black leather strap. The difference is not noticeable, like confusing the President’s former Mercedes-Benz Pullman Guard with the current state car Aurus Senate, according to the Kommersant-Article next. Putin exchanged the German car model for the luxury sedan from the Russian manufacturer in 2018.
For his new watch, the President now relies on a traditional Russian company: The Petrodworez watch factory was founded in the 18th century by the Russian Tsar Peter the Great. According to a report by the online newspaper, the Kremlin chief’s luxury watch is gazeta.ru very exclusive: Other customers should therefore not be able to order the black onyx that was used for the frame of the President’s watch. A standard model of the IPF watch apparently costs 1.5 million rubles, the report continues. That’s the equivalent of around 24,000 euros – with Putin’s estimated fortune, that hardly makes a difference.
New watch on Putin’s wrist: statement for “commitment to domestic economy”
Since Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine at the end of February, the West has imposed extensive sanctions on the country. Many international companies also withdrew from Russia. According to a recent study by Yale University, the sanctions are hitting Russia’s economy with full force. Moscow, on the other hand, repeatedly emphasizes that it is surviving the punitive measures well – and is even emerging from them stronger.
The fact that the President’s wristwatch now also comes from a Russian manufacturer is valuable Kommersant as an important symbol. The head of the Kremlin is leading “by his personal example” and demonstrating his commitment to the domestic economy – in particular to the import substitution program. This replacement program is about manufacturing products or components in Russia that are missing due to Western sanctions. However, the program is not new: Russia has been implementing measures to replace imports since 2014. A in July 2020 from The law signed by Putin strengthened these efforts. However, Andrej Klischas, a member of the Russian Federation Council, had stated on Telegram in May that the import substitution program in Russia had “completely failed”..
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