“We should call these so-called State Duma elections what they truly are: a political spectacle designed to entrench Vladimir Putin's rule,” he stressed. According to him, ahead of the vote, the Kremlin systematically sidelined genuine opposition through intimidation, restrictive registration requirements, administrative pressure, and criminal prosecutions. As an example, Estonia’s Foreign Minister cited the exclusion of the Yabloko party from the elections. “All of it served a single purpose: to cling to power and deny voters a real choice. The absence of credible international observation only reinforces the conclusion that this whole process is another instrument for prolonging Putin's grip,” Tsahkna wrote.
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