How Vladimir Putin may have revealed just how afraid he is of his own people

A protester holds a painting of Russian despot Vladimir Putin, showing his head made up of many skulls, during an election-day demonstration outside the Russian Embassy in Berlin, Germany (Picture: Jens Schlater) | AFP via Getty Images

Like most dictators, Vladimir Putin holds elections. No one should be fooled. The liberal Yabloko party, the only one to oppose Putin’s war in Ukraine, was initially allowed to stand but then banned shortly before polling day.

“What other result can there be if there were ten parties on the ballot and they all support the policies of Putin?" Yabloko party chair Nikolai Rybakov told the BBC. “Some of our candidates, who should have been running, are in jail, many were barred from running...”

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And, of course, other opposition politicians are dead. According to a joint statement by the UK, Sweden, France, Germany and The Netherlands earlier this year, Alexei Navalny, a former Yabloko member, died as a result of poison administered while in prison and the Russian state had “the means, motive and opportunity” to murder him.

The brave Russians who continue to oppose Putin are putting their lives at risk. The one hopeful sign is that, by banning parties like Yobloko, this evil tyrant may have revealed just how afraid he is that his illegal war of aggression is becoming increasingly unpopular.

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