Russia and Ukraine · 18 September 2026 to 19 September 2026 · 3 headlines · Al Jazeera, CNN, AP
Kremlin's crackdown on private business and opposition
Ahead of Russia's Duma elections the Kremlin has accelerated what is known domestically as 'ballot sterilisation', removing anything that could register public dissatisfaction. Candidates from the so-called managed opposition parties, including the Communist Party, have been arrested or barred from standing, closing off the protest vote that excluded opposition figures such as the late Alexey Navalny had once urged supporters to use. Yabloko, the only openly antiwar party and the last registered party adhering to democratic principles, was barred from fielding candidates last month. The aim is a result that demonstrates national unity behind Vladimir Putin and United Russia.
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