Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday moved one step closer to cementing a set of constitutional changes that would allow him to remain in power until 2036. Putin is all but guaranteed to get the result he wants following a massive campaign to get voters to say "yes" to the changes. The balloting completes a convoluted saga that began with Putin’s state-of-the-nation address in January, when Putin first proposed the constitutional changes. The move was intended to showcase his broad support and add a democratic veneer to the constitutional changes. Pavlovsky noted, however, that the unusual methods used by authorities to boost turnout and get the result Putin wants would undermine the legitimacy of the vote.

Source: Fox News June 30, 2020 19:52 UTC