Sometimes in looking back on the truly pivotal moments in contemporary Russian politics, we can see not only the impact of the deep crises the country has suffered, but also the uses and expediency of these national traumas by the powers – a seizure of an opportunity to pass measures to further consolidate authority. 

A prime example of this trend was seen in the aftermath of the uniquely horrific Beslan school hostage crisis in 2004, which resulted hundreds of deaths (mostly children) and a widespread moral panic of terrorism that had few rivals outside of Sept. 11th.  Although the police response to the crisis is accused of being tragically inept, after a few days of silence and confusion, President Vladimir Putin’s response was decisive and politically pitch-perfect.  He saw that the Russian people were clearly frightened by this act of unimaginable cruelty, and needed to hear the voice of a strongman who would indicate who’s in control. 

Solution:  Putin gave a speech not only denouncing the cowardice of the terrorists and his administration’s determination to stamp out such groups, but alsom making a seamless segueway into a discussion about the benefits of security under the former Soviet state, and lamented that this crisis had become possible as a result of not enough central control over the regions.  It was an argument which implied that this terrorist attack happened as a result of weakness, and that this weakness was democracy.  The only sensible thing for the state to do in response, he concluded, was to eradicate the local election of governors, and empower the Kremlin to handpick representatives from Moscow.  It was a major turning point in Russia’s slide toward authoritarianism.

Now, we have another crisis, and another instrumentalization of its aftermath to push through constitutional changes.