After the elections, Putin may go all-in - what to expect

Economist Sergei Guriev told Newsweek that Vladimir Putin may use the election results as a pretext for a new wave of mobilization in Russia. According to the expert, the dictator will see the outcome as a sign of Russians' readiness for tightening. The Kremlin officially denies preparations for mobilization.

Economist Sergei Guriev, former rector of the Russian Economic School and a well-known Kremlin critic, told Newsweek that Vladimir Putin may use the election results as a pretext for a new wave of mobilization in Russia. According to Guriev, the dictator will see the outcome as confirmation that Russians are ready to tighten their belts. The Kremlin officially denies preparations for mobilization, but according to the publication, mobilization of hundreds of thousands of troops is not ruled out after the elections — Kyiv had previously warned about this. Guriev noted that due to the growing budget deficit and record military spending, it would be cheaper for Putin to conscript soldiers forcibly rather than hire them for money. The economist also suggested that Putin may be misinformed about the real level of support among the population. He added that Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian marketplaces and queues at gas stations have brought the war to Russia, reducing domestic support for the war.