Russia’s paramount leader, Vladimir Putin, was not even looking at the television camera when he announced that he would aim to stay in the Kremlin for at least another six years as head of the world’s biggest nuclear power.

After pinning the gold star “Hero of Russia” medals on the lapels of soldiers who had fought in Ukraine, some of the men and mothers of the fallen rushed up to one of the best-guarded leaders in the world in the Grand Kremlin Palace.

Artyom Zhoga, a lieutenant colonel born in Soviet-era Ukraine who fights for Russia, asked Putin to run again: “You are our president, we are your team. We need you. Russia needs you.”

Putin thanked him.

[Um…oh, yay? Said everyone in the room, especially those near windows. ~ Beege]