the empire was always believed when it told us about the 'opposition' like the russians. the empire has lied to us so much and so often that now when it speaks we laugh when possible. the russian election flies in the face of the empires' arrogance;

The West just can’t handle the truth — i.e., Vladimir Putin enjoys great popularity and easily won re-election. The whining and carping from Western political leaders filled the legacy media as they insisted Russia held a sham, illegal election. Boo hoo. After the debacle in 2020 and the subsequent imprisonment of hundreds of Trump supporters with unfounded charges of insurrection, the United States is in no position to lecture any other country about free and fair elections. It is hypocrisy on steroids.

Prior to the election, Western pollsters learned, much to their surprise, that Putin held an 86% favorability rating. Almost eight out of ten eligible Russians voted in the Presidential election and gave Putin 87% of the vote. The Russian police and military were not roaming the cities and towns forcing people to the polls nor are Russians who do not vote threatened with economic or criminal sanctions. Even the voters in the war torn republics of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporhyzhia turned out in force to vote. My friend, Pepe Escobar, was in Avdeevka to witness the voters lining up and doing their duty as new members of the Russian Federation..........more.......