Paul Goble
Staunton, July 27 – Russians aren’t worried about the outcome of the upcoming Duma elections as far as the composition of the Duma is concerned. They know that the Kremlin will do whatever is necessary to ensure that the ruling United Russia remains overwhelmingly dominant there.
But they are very much worried, the editors of the Vyorstka portal say, about what Putin will do after the election given that he has often imposed “unpopular measures” right after earlier votes, claiming a mandate to do so even and at a time when Russians again turn away from politics (verstka.media/chego-boyatsya-chinovniki-eksperty-i-naselenie-rossii).
Many Russian officials, politicians, and ordinary Russians are now talking about a variety of measures that Putin may take after the Duma vote. Among those Vyorstka says are the most widespread are the following:
· The introduction of one or another kind of military rule, with increasing restrictions on people and businesses throughout the Russian Federation, steps that the security services believe are needed because of the country’s current problems;· A new mobilization to raise more troops to fight in Ukraine, given the declining numbers of men who are signing up now to fight there;
· De facto confiscation of the savings of Russians through their forcible replacement with long-term bonds so as to finance the war now;
· The restoration of exit visas or at least an increase in the size of the categories of people who are banned from traveling abroad;
· Sizeable increases in charges for electricity, water, sewer and gas; and
· A new and larger number of repressive laws.
Government loyalists in the Duma and the administration say they haven’t heard anything but such moves; but that is no reassurance to Russians given that such people said exactly the same before earlier elections after which other dramatic steps were taken.
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