Kremlin tightens grip on Duma election, sidelines Yabloko and discredits Communists

Russia's parliamentary election is being shaped by the Kremlin to exclude the liberal Yabloko party and discredit the Communist opposition, leaving dissatisfied voters without a viable alternative. This continues the established pattern of managed democracy in Russia, with the outcome effectively predetermined. The development underscores the consolidation of authoritarian control ahead of the vote, though the specific mechanics of exclusion remain partially unverified.