When most think of strongmen, it is often the caricature of Vladmir Putin that comes to mind. A ruthless leader who invokes a rhetoric of nationalism, “traditional values”, and who has continuously worked to erode democracy in his country. Putin has often become a model for those who seek to emulate his strategies and image to employ backsliding in their own countries. This week was the eighth Russian Presidential election, and in a result that shocked no one, Putin won. This comes amid much domestic turbulence as the war in Ukraine enters its third year and Navalny lies dead. Through this turmoil, Putin has been able to increase his hold on Russian politics.

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is a man who hardly needs an introduction. Professionally trained as lawyer and KGB agent he would enter politics in the 90’s under Russian President Boris Yeltsin. He quickly rose through the ranks and eventually became the second (and fourth) president of Russia. During his time in office, he has continuously eroded Russian democracy. Whether this has been through suppression of the free media or murdering oligarchs and political opponents, Putin has done all in his power to make sure that he stays on top.

Two notable examples of political assassinations jump to mind. The first is death of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin. After a halted rebellion in late June 2023, Prigozhin sought refuge in Belarus. However on a flight to St Petersburg his plane exploded under mysterious circumstances. The second and more recent death is that of Alexi Navalny. Despite a previous attempt on his life, Navalny retuned to Russia and was arrested and sentenced on extremism charges to 19 years in prison. He would end up dying in an Artic penal colony after supposedly feeling unwell. The suppression and murder of these two figures have served to further increase Putin’s stranglehold on power in Russia.

Putin has also secured “legitimate” political power at the ballot box. Unsurprisingly however, this election was marked by several irregularities and further media suppression. Putin won 87.28% of the vote. The second place was a Communist party candidate who won 4.37% of the vote. Watchdogs have stated that there had been voter intimidation and reports of citizens being pressured into voting. Anti-war candidates were banned from the ballot and independent voices had been silenced due to media censorship. Independent media and opposition voices have all been taken out of the country, and now the Kremlin has absolute control over the media. Because most people rely on TV to get their information, the state television channels prove to be an exceptionally powerful tool. The crackdown has only worsened since the invasion of Ukraine and more and more restrictive laws have been passed. The Kremlin narrative has become so dominant in Russian media that one in five Russians did not know Navalny was dead, and that half said they had only vague knowledge of it. Putin has exploited his position as president and current crises in the country to undermine the Russia’s democratic system.

Further evidence of erosion is seen by how Putin has handled dissent during this election. One of Navalny’s final wishes was that the Russian people continue to resist Putin’s despotic rule. This was seen when protestors showed up to polling stations as a form of silent resistance. Other methods such as vandalism were reported at polling stations such as arson attempts, or ink being poured into ballot boxes. Despite these acts of resistance, the juggernaut of oppression that Putin has transformed the Russian state into has proved difficult to overcome for the countries democratic supporters.

International responses have varied from hostile to congratulatory. China, India, and Hungary have all congratulated Putin on the victory and vow to draw closer. China is an autocratic country and both India and Hungary are experiencing backsliding under their current governments. The Western World has taken a more hostile tone to the recent elections, labeling them as neither free nor fair. Many see the result as pre-determined due to how severely Putin has crippled any opposition to him inside the country. However, it seems that the United States will not go so far to not recognize Putin as the winner as Russia’s opposition leaders had called for.

The consolidation of Putin’s power shows just how far back democracies can backslide. The Russia seen now is a far cry from the so called “end of history” that was predicted with the fall of the Soviet Union. What has actually happened is the rise of a war-mongering tyrant who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. The world should look at Putin as a warning for what can and will happen if backsliding is left unchecked.