In brief How high-ranking Russian officials are justifying the move to let Putin serve again (and again)

The people criticizing the amendment don’t love Russia. The attacks on Tereshkova are attacks on our country because she has introduced a plan that will make Russia stronger. Vladimir Vladimirovich [Putin] is the rod keeping the Russian Federation upright. Internally, Putin can’t let himself just wash his hands of the whole thing and say, “I’m out.” He picked up Russia at a point of no return and took on a responsibility that will stay with him for life. Polling shows that the citizenry supports him, and their opinion shouldn’t be neglected because Putin should have the right to another election. Popular opinion has always been important to the president, and that’s exactly why he didn’t agree to an automatic extension of his authority. The Constitutional Court’s opinion should be affirmative because they must respect the people’s choice. A ban on current presidents running again is a destabilizing factor. Oil and gas prices may fall, but our true resource is Putin, and we must protect him.

Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Deputy (and groundbreaking cosmonaut) Valentina Tereshkova, Crimean Governor Sergey Aksyonov, former Chechen government head Ramzan Kadyrov, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, Kremlin pundit Dmitry Kiselyov