Important elections for the Russian legislative body State Duma will be held in September, and President Vladimir Putin wants his party, United Russia to win it handsomely. But there is a problem. Putin's approval ratings are low, and he is not sure how the Russians will vote. At present, his party holds almost 75% of seats in the state duma, and any drop will be seen as a dent in Putin's power.

To stop that from happening, Putin is trying every trick in the book. From announcing economic doles to Russian citizens to silencing opposition leaders to even making the opposition campaigning difficult, Putin is on overdrive in the run-up to the elections. [https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2021/aug/24/russian-president-putin-gifts-pensioners-cash-payments-ahead-of-polls-2349158.html]

In Moscow, opinion polls show that people prefer opposition candidates, with United Russia being popular only among 20 percent. Slow economic growth, rise in inflation and the handling of coronavirus have angered many Russians and they may want to show their displeasure through the state Duma elections. But Russia, which is known for very low turnouts, could be an advantage for Putin as he could mobilize his supporters to come to vote. [https://meduza.io/en/feature/2021/03/26/a-new-strategy-for-moscow]

Strong-arm tactics are playing an essential role in intimidating opposition activists. For instance, a supporter of jailed opposition politician Aleksei Navalny was detained when he held a poster saying: "Let's throw United Russia out of the [State] Duma. Smart Voting." Navalny has asked people to do' Smart Voting' to oust Putin's party. [https://www.rferl.org/a/petersburg-arrest-smart-voting/31434765.html]

Before this, opposition politician Lev Shlosberg of the Yabloko party was barred from standing for election. Several other politicians have faced similar problems.

Investigative news websites have also been targeted. For instance, Dosye (Dossier), an investigative site. and Gulagu.net, which reports on allegations of torture and abuse in prisons have been shut. [https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-kremlin-crackdown-analysis/31393446.html]

The Russian government has justified its actions by saying that the foreign governments were involved in a "hybrid war" and they could also influence elections. Many people opposed to Putin are branded as "foreign agents." [https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-kremlin-crackdown-analysis/31393446.html] More arrests and more strong-arm tactics can be expected as the elections near.


Read more:

Putin in survival mode:
https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/7/6/in-the-duma-election-campaign-putin-is-in-survival-mode

The plan to win elections:
https://theconversation.com/vladimir-putin-plans-to-win-russias-parliamentary-election-no-matter-how-unpopular-his-party-is-160078