Russia has re-elected Putin. What next?

Founder & Program Director of the Youth Liberty Congress at the World Liberty Congress , Elizaveta Volkova , shares her insights on the future of Russia's post-"elections" and the opposition movement after Navalny's murder in an interview:

The Post-"Election" Landscape:

How would you characterize the recent "election" in Russia?

The so-called "elections" were predictable and known in advance, but it was very heartening to see that there is still a very active civil society in Russia, with people who care and many who understand everything even after Putin's regime has spent billions on government propaganda and brainwashing. People are tired of constant isolation, war, and darkness. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, society was absolutely intimidated; anyone who expressed anything against the government and the war immediately faced criminal charges and received absurdly long prison sentences. Suddenly, Duntsova and Nadezhdin, anti-war candidates who challenged Putin, appeared, and thousands of people queued up to express their support for them. This caused a shock among the so-called authorities.

What immediate implications do you foresee for Russia's political landscape?

On the political landscape, there will be a sham replacement at the executive levels, not affecting the political direction of the regime but presenting supposed changes to the electorate, thereby creating an illusion to support the regime's longevity. What is essentially dead cannot generate movement or change. The political pressure on the potential opposition will only increase, meaning they simply won'tbe allowed to take any action. The system will completely preserve itself, conserving any processes which, in its opinion, could harm it even slightly. 

Navalny's Legacy and the Opposition Movement:

With Navalny's passing, how do you anticipate the future of the opposition movement in Russia?

The murder of Alexei Navalny caused immense shock and devastation across the majority of the globe. At the same time, pro-democracy oriented people in Russia felt that their last hope for a bright future was taken away. But after tremendous pain came anger. People were not afraid to attend Navalny's funeral, and to this day, they continuously bring flowers to Navalny's grave, which in today's Russia is a brave way to showcase one's stance against Putin, his regime, and his war. Alexei Navalny himself feared nothing and nobody, serving as a huge example for many, myself included. When you see Yulia Navalnaya, who, despite her terrible grief, found the strength to continue fighting against the regime, you realize that such people make history and serve as a ray of light in today's darkness. I am confident that the opposition possesses the ability to change the overall sentiment of the people, helping them realize that they are being lied to and merely used for the regime's evil purposes. The time to act is now.

Are there emerging leaders or movements within the opposition poised to fill the void left by Navalny?

New leaders exist and will continue to emerge. These include Yulia Navalnaya, Ilya Yashin, Vladimir Kara-Murza, and others. New figures will appear, with Ekaterina Duntsova being a splendid example. The main goal is to create a unified center for strategy and decision-making, with the Belarusian opposition serving as an example of effective organization. The downside is that the effectiveness of the opposition within Russia will now be significantly reduced due to immense repressive pressure, which, as mentioned above, will escalate even further because of the regime's fear and weakness.

We're excited to hear more from Elizaveta who will be joining us at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit as she joins the WLC Youth Congress.