Boris Nadezhdin seeks to run in the March 17 presidential election in Russia. The question now is whether authorities will allow him on the ballot.
The stocky, bespectacled 60-year-old local legislator and academic has struck a chord with the public, openly calling for a halt to the conflict in Ukraine, the end of mobilizing Russian men for the military, and starting a dialogue with the West. He also has criticized the country’s repression of LGBTQ+ activism.
Places your bets, which is it:
He isn’t a credible ‘threat’ to Putin, and the state media is letting him get away with some visibility so that he can be crushed in the definitely-not-completely-fake polls in order to preserve the democracy kayfabe. Possibly to achieve a domestic policy goal like getting out of the Ukraine war without losing as much face for Putin.
He is a credible threat and will be dealt with brutally and violently.
He is a sockpuppet. Either of Putin or the next generation of Russian leaders who, in proud Soviet tradition, are going to honor and glorify Putin in his retirement then quietly delete and replace his history and influence with their own.
This is controlled opposition and it’s critical for the Putin regime.
Controlled opposition doesn’t require direct collusion, but it doesn’t preclude it either. It just means he’s useful for Putin maintaining democratic legitimacy or even just the illusion of it.
Regardless, if he was an actual threat to Putin, he wouldn’t be allowed to remain in any elected office.
I’m fairly confident in this assessment. However, if he’s found in motel with a dead hooker and a live boy, or falls out a window, feel free to call me out and rub my noise in it.
I bet on the first option. It’s maybe a way of convincing the people that all those topics were opinions of the minority. The protests and therefore resistance might quiet down if enough people think that the average citizen would support the war and Putin in general.