Summary
A century after its revolution shook the world, Russia strives to strike an odd balance between remembering the uprising that brought about the Soviet Union, while stopping short of romanticizing regime change.
A hundred years later, Russia still has trouble dealing with its revolutionary past, with the legacy of the 1917 uprising and the Soviet Union sparking fierce debate to this day.
Putin, in his first inaugural speech in 2000, said that it was "the first time in the history of our state that power is handed over ... legally and peacefully," vowing to "unite the people of Russia".
His rejection of popular uprisings has not wavered in the 17 years since he took power, neither within Russia nor beyond.
Russia has also sought to suppress revolts in Ukraine, Georgia and Syria, where Putin's support for President Bashar Assad has been instrumental in keeping the regime in power.
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