It is not only in Norway that elections are being held this autumn. Voters also go to the polls in Russia – this time on the occasion of local elections.
Putin’s former speechwriter Abbas Galljamov believes that dissatisfaction with the war and the leadership in the Kremlin could lead to a revolution in the country. He says that to the Finnish newspaper Evening newspaper.
– No matter who the vote is given to, it goes to a candidate who supports the war. Every candidate from any party that the Kremlin has allowed to run is for the war. There are no alternatives, says Galljamov.
He left the country after a disagreement with the Kremlin. In recent times, Russia has given him the status of “foreign agent”.
Putin’s party claims to lead
– Violation of international law
This weekend’s local elections are being held in Russia, but also on the annexed Crimean peninsula and in the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhya.
The authorities in Ukraine have condemned the elections and called them a farce, writes NTB. Western countries and the Council of Europe have also come with harsh criticism.
– They constitute an obvious breach of international law, the Council of Europe recently determined.
On Sunday, the Russian Electoral Commission reports that the preliminary results show a lead for the ruling United Russia party, which supports Putin.
According to estimates, United Russia will get about 80 percent of the vote in the occupied territories and 40 percent nationally.
However, Galljamov believes that this does not reflect the real support among voters. He also points out that turnout has suddenly decreased this year, despite the fact that it had previously been increasing.
– People think that if they vote, they still vote for Putin. They won’t. The legitimacy of the Russian political system is dying, he claims.
Shot down over Kyiv
– Can escalate
In March next year, the national election will be held. Galljamov believes that the Russian regime will then be put to the test, and it will be seen whether it will break or endure.
– If the Ukrainians destroy the Russian force now, and Putin starts a campaign and rigs the presidential election, it could lead to an escalation in the situation. Prigozhin’s rebellion showed that Putin’s regime is not very popular, he says.
– A revolution can happen at any time.
Possible Russian bluff in the northeast
Died in plane crash
It was at the end of June that the Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin led an armed rebellion against the military leadership in Moscow. The Wagner group occupied the city of Rostov-da-Donu, and sent a column of soldiers towards the capital.
The uprising was stopped shortly afterwards, when Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko negotiated an agreement with the Wagner boss.
In August, Prigozhin and 10 others died in a plane crash in Russia. Several, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj, claim that Putin is behind it.
2023-09-10 19:44:02
#revolution
