DE R F A E W ND IN IN G

l The lack of competition in the elections, the death of Alexei Navalny, the constitutional shenanigans to allow Putin to stand once again, and the loss of voice for many Russians in exile today makes these elections even more of a charade than before. [...] The complexity of the voting landscape is compounded by the uncertainty surrounding the Russians who left the country after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. [...] 34 The connection between Russians abroad and the elections becomes evident as part of the Russian electorate resides outside the country and may not participate in the election. [...] 44 The combination of enshrining in the constitution that marriage is between a man and a woman – and other conservative values – and the elimination of term limits created uncertainty regarding the true motivations driving Russians to the polls. [...] 13 Drawing the Line: Declaring Putin Illegitimate as a Step towards Future-Russia The Claws of the Bear… A declaration of Putin’s illegitimacy will likely trigger a robust response from the Kremlin, potentially involving cyber-attacks reminiscent of the 2023 Royal Mail incident, which was linked to the Russian-backed LockBit hacking group.