ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the response of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his government to the COVID-19 pandemic. While Putin has used populist tactics in the past to boost his power and popularity, during the COVID-19 crisis, he mainly avoided such tactics. The Russian government’s response to the pandemic was largely founded in science; it introduced a variety of restrictions to curb the spread of the virus, and Russia even became the first country to develop and approve its own vaccine. At the same time, elements of populism in Putin’s response included shifting responsibility for the pandemic to the bureaucrats and a lack of consistency in implementing the restrictions, the vaccination, and other measures, which resulted in a substantial human cost. The Russian government also used the pandemic to strengthen its power and to further suppress the opposition.
