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☆ Putin is coasting towards another term in power. Here’s what to know about Russia’s presidential election
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —Russia is holding a presidential election that is all but certain to extend Vladimir Putin’s rule throughout this decade and into the 2030s. But this is not a normal election; the poll is essentially a constitutional box-ticking exercise that carries no prospect of removing Putin from power. But that is not to say Russians expect the election to change the direction of the country. Russia’s elections are neither free nor fair, and serve essentially as a formality to extend Putin’s term in power, according to independent bodies and observers both in and outside the country. In order to vote against Putin, you just need to vote for any other candidate,” he said on February 8.

Persons: Vladimir Putin’s, Putin, Alexey Navalny, Natalia Kolesnikova, Joseph Stalin, Putin’s, Dmitry Medvedev, euphemistically, —, Abbas Gallyamov, Gallyamov, ”, Callum Fraser, Nikolay Kharitonov, Leonid Slutsky, Vladislav Davankov, Davankov, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Boris Nadezhdin, Yekaterina Duntsova, Duntsova, Leonid Volkov, Volkov, Stringer, Alexey Navalny –, –, Yulia Navalnaya, “, “ Putin, Don’t, Navalnaya Organizations: CNN, Russian, Duma, Getty, Levada, Central, Commission, Royal United Services Institute, Communist Party, Slutsky, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, Kremlin, CEC, Freedom, Putin, European Union, Foreign Affairs Locations: Russia, Ukraine, AFP, Soviet, Lithuanian, Vilnius, Chechen, Grozny, Moscow, Russian

☆ Russia’s presidential election is nearing. We already know who the winner will be
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Russia is nearing a presidential election that is all but certain to extend Vladimir Putin’s rule throughout this decade and into the 2030s. The president’s dominance over the Russian electoral system has already been reinforced as the election looms. Voting will be held from Friday March 15 until Sunday March 17, the first Russian presidential election to take place over three days. The region makes up more than a third of Russia’s total territory but has only about 5% of its population. In order to vote against Putin, you just need to vote for any other candidate,” Navalny said on February 8.

Persons: Vladimir Putin’s, Putin, Alexey Navalny, Maxim Shemetov, Joseph Stalin, Putin’s, Dmitry Medvedev, ” Callum Fraser, Nikolay Kharitonov, Leonid Slutsky, Vladislav Davankov, Davankov, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Boris Nadezhdin, Yekaterina Duntsova, Duntsova, Leonid Volkov, Volkov, Vladimir Nikolayev, euphemistically, Abbas Gallyamov, Gallyamov, Alexey Navalny –, –, ”, ” Navalny, Yulia Navalnaya, “, “ Putin, Don’t Organizations: CNN, Russian, Duma, Federal, Reuters, Kommersant, CEC, Royal United Services Institute, Communist Party, Slutsky, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, Kremlin, Freedom, Putin, Levada, EU, Foreign Affairs Council, European Union Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Russia’s, Soviet, AFP

☆ A Russian far-right party made an AI chatbot of its dead leader which makes predictions about the Ukraine war
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Russian ultranationalist party has made an AI chatbot of deceased leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky. The chatbot answers questions about the Ukraine war. According to The Moscow Times, people can ask the chatbot questions, and it makes "predictions" about key world events. At Thursday's event, the outlet said, the chatbot predicted that the war in Ukraine would continue until "peace and the Russian people's safety are fully restored." Putin paid tribute to Zhirinovsky after his death, and made a rare public appearance to attend his funeral last April.

Persons: Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Zhirinovsky, —, ultranationalist, Max Seddon, Alexander Dupin, Lenta.ru, Dupin, Vladimir Putin's, Putin Organizations: Service, Liberal Democrat, St ., Economic, Moscow Times, Financial Times, University of World Civilizations, Duma Locations: Russian, Ukraine, St . Petersburg, St, Moscow, USSR, Russia

☆ Right-wing organizers built a giant statue of a Russian propagandist in Minecraft for a digital rally that saw over 10,000 people show up — and then the server crashed
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russian right-wing organizers built a monument to a dead Russian propagandist in Minecraft. The rally, held ahead of Russia's May Day, last week garnered 12,000 digital visitors. The event, held ahead of Russia's May Day, was organized by the right-wing populist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, according to Meduza. Zhirinovsky, who died last year, was an ultranationalist politician and propagandist considered to be close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin. He baselessly told BCC in 2018 that Ukraine was Russian territory: "It's our territory; it's our people.

☆ As Russia's only aircraft carrier falls apart, some Russians want to undo a shady ship deal with China 25 years ago
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Russia's sole aircraft carrier has been sidelined for years and may not see action again. A Russian lawmaker has proposed trying buying China's Liaoning aircraft carrier as a replacement. Liaoning began life as a Soviet carrier, but China acquired it in a shady sale in the late 1990s. Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning during a drill in the western Pacific in April 2018. A 40-year-old aircraft carrier in the Black Sea won't provide much value.

☆ Final farewell: From Sidney Poitier to Pope Emeritus Benedict a look back at the influential figures who died in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +55 min

Other world leaders who died in 2022 include former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who died in August. The final days of 2022 saw the loss of some exceptionally notable figures, including Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2022 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___Dan Reeves, 77. A Cuban-born artist whose radiant color palette and geometric paintings were overlooked for decades before the art world took notice. A prolific character actor best known for playing villains and tough guys in “The Manchurian Candidate,” “Ocean’s Eleven” and other films.

☆ Viktor Bout praises Putin, enjoys celebrity status after Griner exchange
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Mithil Aggarwal | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

He has since given high-profile interviews to state media and on Monday appeared on stage at a political event as he joined an ultranationalist party. Viktor Bout on a plane in Abu Dhabi before departing for Russia on Thursday. Russian media also showed him walking off a plane in Moscow, where relatives waiting with flowers embraced him. AFP - Getty ImagesSince his return home, Bout has given a pair of interviews to Maria Butina on the state-run TV channel RT. Like Butina, who was elected to the State Duma last year, Bout spared no time kicking off a potential political career.

☆ Freed Russian arms dealer Bout joins Kremlin-loyal ultranationalist party
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Felix Light | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 12 (Reuters) - Viktor Bout, the Russian arms dealer freed on Thursday after 14 years in U.S. custody in exchange for U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner, has joined the Kremlin-loyal ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR), its leader said on Monday. In a video posted on Telegram, LDPR leader Leonid Slutsky, standing on a stage beside Bout, said: "I want to thank Viktor Anatolievich (Bout) for the decision he has made and welcome him into the ranks of the best political party in today's Russia." Despite its name, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) has since its founding in 1991 espoused a hardline, ultranationalist ideology, demanding Russia reconquer the countries of the former Soviet Union. Its founder and long-time leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky gained a reputation as a political showman for his outrageous stunts and eccentric behaviour before his death in April. It has a history of recruiting controversial personalities into Russian politics.

☆ Fact Check-Polish TV clip with map of Ukraine dates to 2014 and shows Russian politician’s proposal
▼ + stars: | 2014-04-12 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A Polish news report from 2014 about a Russian politician’s proposal to divide Ukraine is being falsely claimed online to show coverage in 2023 of a plan to create “historically correct boundaries”. It shows a shrinking map of Ukraine as the border with Russia recedes from the east, and the borders with Poland, Hungary and Romania recede from the west. Poland’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson in 2014, Marcin Wojciechowski, dismissed the letter at the time as a “complete oddity”, according to Reuters here ). The video is from 2014 and is taken from a report about a Russian politician’s proposal to divide Ukraine. Poland’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the proposal as a “complete oddity”.

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