Shadow Elections in a Shadow War The Russian parliamentary election has begun, with President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party poised to maintain its dominance in the Duma.
The timing of this election is telling, coming four years after Putin ordered troops into Ukraine and sparking a conflict that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.
Since then, the Kremlin has tightened its grip on dissenting voices and opposition parties. This election is not about democracy or representation; it's an exercise in cementing Putin's control over Russia.