Putin

Yuri Kovalchuk, with vast holdings in banking and media, is helping his longtime friend Vladimir Putin tighten the Kremlin’s grip on the internet. Read the full story here.

Results from Russia’s parliamentary vote earlier this month are studded with red flags that suggest broad electoral fraud, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis. Our analysis of nearly 100,000 voting precincts reveals potential vote-rigging, with up to 14 million votes in question. Higher turnout areas showed suspiciously strong support for Putin’s United Russia party. Large-scale protests have erupted in response to allegations of fraud, challenging Putin’s political legitimacy. In response, Putin promises transparent measures for upcoming elections....