A smirking Vladimir Putin interpreted his party's victory as a rebuke to foreign pressure and sanctions. My interpretation is quite different: The electoral victory came through Putin's control of electoral resources and his repressive threats against opposition candidates and their voters. 'Administrative measures' overcame declining public support for a government that has given the Russian people three years of recession, sharp drops in living standards, and neglect of its key constituency of retired persons and government employees.
Read Full Article »
