Kremlin strengthens domestic control and warns of foreign instability ahead of elections

Russian authorities are expanding political restrictions in the lead-up to next month's parliamentary elections. A recent judicial ruling banned Yabloko, the nation's final legal anti-war opposition party, while sentencing senior member Lev Schlosberg to 11 years in prison.

Concurrently, reports indicate heightened public anxiety regarding a potential post-election military draft due to significant casualties in Ukraine, leading some citizens to sell assets and prepare to leave the country.

This climate coincides with "Black August," a period historically marked by political and economic instability in Moscow, alongside unresolved questions surrounding presidential succession for 73-year-old Vladimir Putin. Beyond domestic politics, Russian officials are actively warning of potential Western-backed "color revolutions" tied to upcoming Serbian elections as Moscow seeks to preserve its Balkan influence.

Sources: Avaz, Danas, Klix, N1, Vijesti