Putin isn’t a politician, he’s a gangster

Yulia Navalnaya's poignant op-ed leverages a deeply personal and political tragedy—the murder of her husband, Alexei Navalny, by the Russian state—to mobilize international sentiment and policy against Vladimir Putin. The text is imbued with an Appeal to Emotion, using the narrative of Navalny's death as a call to action against Putin's regime. Biased Language is evident throughout, painting Putin unequivocally as a gangster and tyrant devoid of any redeeming qualities or legitimate political standing. The narrative posits a False Dilemma: that the international community's only choices are to completely reject Putin's legitimacy or inadvertently support his regime. Additionally, it employs a Slippery Slope argument, suggesting that failing to act decisively against Putin could lead to further global instability and authoritarianism. Navalnaya's piece, while a compelling and persuasive call to support Russian civil society and oppose Putin's regime, simplifies the complex geopolitical landscape into a binary moral struggle, potentially overshadowing the nuanced diplomacy required to address such issues. Her passionate plea underscores the urgency and gravity of resisting authoritarianism and supporting democratic values worldwide.