Russian elections like the parliamentary vote that begins today are hardly free. But they are critical to the government as a source of legitimacy.
Russians see the West as a bigger threat than their authoritarian government. The post How Western Belligerence Helps Putin Hold Onto Power appeared first on The American Conservative .
Foreign Affairs How Western Belligerence Helps Putin Hold Onto Power Russians see the West as a bigger threat than their authoritarian government. (Mr. Tempter/Shutterstock) Reading tea leaves can’t predict a person’s future, but it can capture a gullible clientele with immersive, meditative ritual. The same applies to what currently passes for Russia expertise in the U.S.-led West. Attention given to certain news events related to next month’s elections for the Duma, the lower house of Russia’s parliament, serves as a perfect illustration. As the liberal Yabloko party got dropped from the ballot, a chorus of…Open