Politics
Opinion: With veterans on ballot lists, Putin attempts to whitewash his war
Lesia Bidochko and Adam Ure argue that Russia’s parliamentary elections aim to normalize the war by integrating veterans into politics. The Kremlin seeks to legitimize the conflict while managing 2.5 million mobilized individuals, including returning soldiers. To prevent independent veteran organizations, Moscow rewards individual loyalty through jobs and incentives. Putin proposes veterans form a new elite via the 'Time of Heroes' project, anchoring the war within Russia’s political system ahead of September 18–20 votes.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's