The results of the parliamentary elections in Russia could be presented as an indicator of public support for the continuation of the war in Ukraine for President Vladimir Putin.
Modern.az reports that Reuters wrote about this.
Three-day parliamentary elections are being held in Russia from September 18-20. The ruling United Russia Party is expected to maintain its dominance in the State Duma. Reuters notes that most candidates who opposed the war were not allowed to participate in the elections.
According to the agency's analysis, since Putin presents the elections as an indicator of support for military operations in Ukraine, he may use the results of the vote to state that the population supports the continuation of the war until its main goals are achieved.
Reuters writes that the elections could also be important for the Kremlin in terms of creating the image that life in the country continues as usual. The holding of parliamentary elections in the country's 11 time zones during wartime can be presented by the authorities as an indicator of political and public stability.
The material also draws attention to a comparison between Russia and Ukraine regarding the elections. Putin has repeatedly criticized the failure to hold presidential elections in Ukraine. In Ukraine, however, legislation does not allow elections to be held during martial law, which has been in effect since 2022. According to Reuters, Moscow could use the fact that elections are being held in Russia despite the war as a political argument.
The agency also touched upon the issue of possible new mobilization. Putin called claims in Ukrainian and Western media that a new mobilization could be held after the elections in September "nonsense."
However, some Russian and foreign analysts critical of the war have expressed concern that the election results could be used to justify such a decision in the future. Reuters emphasizes that the Russian authorities have not currently confirmed that mobilization will be announced after the elections.
The publication also notes that some critics fear that control and restrictive measures within the country could be tightened after the elections. However, no concrete decision has been announced in this regard.
