In Russia, how Vladimir Putin locked in his re-election to continue his war. The head of the Kremlin, in office since 2000, should remain in power for a fifth term, until 2030, following a controlled election preceded by fierce repression of all opposition.
“You alone, citizens of Russia, determine the destiny of the homeland,” he said Thursday, calling on voters to go to the polls, one of his rare interventions in an almost non-existent campaign. The war, which has to a large extent disrupted the fate of Russia for two years, does not appear explicitly...