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[Il Palazzo]

Yeah, that's my optics too. The top dogs will make sure the elections will be 'free and fair', with the correct turnout, whether the populace goes to the booths or not. But it stirs one's blood somewhat differently when you've voted against the system, and you've seen many people around you do the same - only for your votes to be erased - than when you've already given in to apathy.

[Lord Shonus]

It is worth noting that public opinion didn't matter at all under the Tsars. Until suddenly in 1917 public opinion mattered a hell of a lot. Public opinion didn't matter at all under the Soviet Union, until suddenly in 1989 it mattered a hell of a lot.


Any autocratic regime that openly ignores the opinion of the people it rules does so at great peril, which is why Putin's Russia uses sham elections to draw legitimacy in the first place. Inroads to that legitimacy are a much bigger threat than people realize.

[MaxTheFox]

I will vote next election. Might as well. Walking is good exercise, at the very least.

[Telgin]

Do people face any pressure to vote for Putin, or threats if they don't?  Or do the elections appear to be totally fair and without coercion?

[Starver]

Relative to North Korea, positively free. (Noting that KJU's vote-share reduced to a pathetically low 99.91%, in the recent election, v.s. ...nobody.)

[Strongpoint]

Do people face any pressure to vote for Putin, or threats if they don't?  Or do the elections appear to be totally fair and without coercion?

Russian elections are merely "counted" in a "correct" way. Everything else is always democratic-looking.

[anewaname]

Those voting against Putin probably will not face oppression or threats unless they attempt to verify vote counts or organize others to verify the votes. If a region votes primarily against Putin, the region might suffer.

[MaxTheFox]

Yeah I never heard of anyone facing any real consequences for not voting for United Russia. We're not that far gone (yet).

[ChairmanPoo]

You might be constripted however

[MaxTheFox]

You might be constripted however

I'm exempt for several reasons, mainly being female, only men get conscripted.

[nenjin]

And here I thought Russia's fighting forces were egalitarian. Guess I've watched too many movies.

[King Zultan]

I bet if the war goes on long enough they'll start letting women get conscripted into the army.

[Telgin]

I was just wondering about that actually, but assumed that in seriousness it wouldn't get to that point.  Russian culture is very "traditional" in that regard, isn't it?  Women aren't allowed in combat positions in the Russian army, right?

I feel like it would be a turning point in public favor against the war if they tried.

Of course, they also have literally millions of people they can burn through before that would be needed so I don't think we'd see it anyway.

[ChairmanPoo]

I think counting on a highly corrupt and lgbtphobic regime not throwing you into the meat grinder could be construed as overconfidence.

[Great Order]

I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I've witnessed an attempted justification of ethnic cleansing that boiled down to "But it's OK if *we* do it!"

In this case, taking parts of Russia and deporting the local Russian population.

In other news, Donald Tusk is calling for more to be done to help Ukraine. Not convinced it'll result in anything, but I hope.