Opinion

There are no elections in Russia, only theater

This year's most expensive theater production took place last week. Millions of Russians (and some Ukrainians, at gunpoint) played voters. A host of Putin's cronies embodied democratically elected politicians. The props team did excellent work: ballot papers, boxes, and TV debates (although some actors missed their cues). Reading the headlines, one could get the false impression that Russia was experiencing a sudden democratic turn. The word "election" dominates, while most outlets eventually