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MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin in his message to the nation said that the past three months drastically changed the people’s mode of life.
“Just three months have passed. Usually a period that long, one quarter of a year, flies past quickly and unnoticeably. But in this case, during these hectic days, weeks and months we developed a very different sense of time. They incorporated so much: a sharp change in the daily routine, forced restrictions on work and social contacts, alarm and fears, the grief of losses and of partying with relatives and friends and thoughts of what will happen tomorrow, what is to be done to protect the dearest ones from misfortune and to support the family and parents,” Putin said.
He stressed that regardless of everything “it was a time of hope, of gratitude to friends and strangers, who extended a helping hand to those in need, and of pride for those who displayed their best qualities.”
Russian society did not find itself lost in the face of the coronavirus threat and was able to respond to this challenge, the Russian president elaborated. “It is very important that there was no frustration in our country, in our society. On the contrary, like it was in our history more than once, clear understanding of the situation, the real threat, only consolidated people who saw that the threat could be confronted only jointly and that human life is what matters most,” he said, adding that the authorities in their actions relied on these values. “That is why they could respond to the challenge of colossal difficulty,” he stressed.
Putin thanked Russians for their responsible attitude to their health, for mutual support and dignity they demonstrated during the most dangerous stage of the epidemic, with its lockdowns and restrictions.
He specially thanked volunteers who attended to the elderly and all those who needed special care.
According to Vladimir Putin, strict restrictions allowed the country to hold back the peak of coronavirus epidemic by 1.5-2 months, which saved tens of thousands of lives.
“The fight against the epidemic began back on our borders. Protection measures were boosted immediately, and they played their part, allowed us to repel the first blow, holding the epidemic, its peak, back by 1.5-2 months. Therefore, back in February and early March [they allowed us] to win precious time, which means doing everything possible to save tens of thousands of lives, tens of thousands exactly,” the Russian leader addressed the nation. (TASS)
