Rising internal tensions and political crackdowns mark Russian election run-up

Russian authorities are intensifying political crackdowns ahead of September’s parliamentary elections, prohibiting the anti-war Yabloko party and sentencing opposition figure Lev Shlosberg to 11 years in prison. The actions unfold alongside heightened public apprehension regarding potential military mobilization following heavy battlefield casualties in Ukraine, evoking historical late-summer anxieties known as "Black August."

Concurrently, analysts point to uncertainty surrounding succession plans for 73-year-old President Vladimir Putin, whose highly personalized regime lacks an established transition process. Internationally, Western intelligence reports suggest Moscow could test NATO's cohesion in coming years through hybrid actions, cyberattacks, or localized military incursions.

Sources: Avaz, Danas, Index, Klix, Vijesti