By Andrew Joseph Moore
In both the European and Asian continent, Russia, the world’s largest nation by landmass, has been in the news lately for many different things, focusing on one keyword: democracy. However, there is one problem: though Russia declares itself democratic, experts from the Economic Intelligence Unit have labeled the nation authoritarian since 2011. With the events that have been going on the entire month of February and prior, Russia has strengthened its authoritarian view worldwide.
President Vladimir Putin is not a fan of competition, and the former KGB agent, which in English is translated to the Committee for State Security, has made this clear through multiple different examples. Whether it be from using pressure to shutter media outlets, the strangling of civil society organizations, or manipulating the nation’s electoral institutions, it has all brought decay to the nation that was once becoming democratic. What has undoubtedly struck the nail on the coffin to those who deny President Putin’s authoritarian power structure is the arresting and imprisonment of his most notable and influential opposition, Alexei Navalny.
Alexei Navalny, who returned to Russia from Germany — where he was recovering after being poisoned by the FSB, the Russian State Security Agency, with a nerve agent known as Novichok — was arrested at the airport because he violated terms of his suspended money laundering conviction back in 2014, which Navalny states are illegitimate. However, there is a lot more at stake here than an apparent violation of a suspended sentence.
Kirill Rogov, a political analyst who interviewed with DW News, states, “Navalny is dangerous otherwise, they wouldn’t want to imprison or kill him. He is fearless, and now he is also famous even outside of Russia. That is exactly what the Kremlin doesn’t want: opposition politicians who are recognized by the 70 or 80 percent of the population and who cannot be controlled.” Navalny’s supporters know this too, which is why people have come out in massive droves to protest his arrest across the country.
The police are not happy about that and have shown it by brutalizing protesters and arresting over 5,000 people across the country. In response to this, protestors have changed their tactics from massive rallies to using flashing lights on cell phones in the shape of hearts. Thankfully, during this form of protest, no detentions were reported.
As for what happens next, it depends on the people, the response from the West, and how the Kremlin responds to growing unrest in the country, according to experts who talked to CNBC. However, there are plenty of estimates of what potentially will happen, which include a massive blow into the opposition as Navalny is a significant and influential organizer. Protests, while currently frequent, could potentially see a decrease as time moves forward.
What is worrying for Putin, according to experts who have discussed with CNBC, is that the protest has shown an overall dissatisfaction with the ruling class. While the arrest of Navalny has triggered the people, that was merely the tipping point, as there is long term economic and social stagnation.
What is happening right now is merely just the beginning, and there is still so much more to learn and see, but one thing is exact: democracy has taken another blow.
