Kremlin tightens domestic control as NATO monitors potential threats

As Russia approaches parliamentary elections, the Kremlin has intensified measures against political opposition, banning the anti-war Yabloko party and sentencing senior figure Lev Shlosberg to 11 years in prison. Alongside political purges, public anxiety is rising over potential post-election military mobilization, prompting some citizens to sell property and plan departures.

Analysts highlight growing structural vulnerabilities within the regime, including recurring late-summer political strains known as "Black August" and the lack of a formal succession plan for 73-year-old President Vladimir Putin. Concurrently, Western intelligence assessments suggest Moscow may attempt to test NATO's collective defense commitment through hybrid operations or limited military incursions in the coming years.

Sources: Avaz, Danas, Index, Klix, Vijesti