Russia's Parliamentary Elections Set for September 18-20 Lack Real Stakes As Dissent Is Crushed

Russia's parliamentary elections, scheduled for September 18-20, will take place without real stakes in a country silenced by the Federal Security Service's crackdown. Voters face no genuine choice, as opposition figures are jailed or exiled and independent media are shuttered.

The ruling party faces no credible challenge, ensuring a predictable outcome that reinforces the Kremlin's grip on power. With dissent suppressed and the electoral process tightly controlled, the vote serves more as a ritual of legitimacy than a contest of