Cross-posted from: https://feddit.de/post/9704432

Early voting in Russia’s presidential election has already begun in temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine. With critics and opponents silenced, exiled or murdered, Vladimir Putin is expected to be anointed for another six years when the polls close at the end of next week.

The picture that Russian television will paint is almost as predictable as the final result: carefully curated images of grateful Ukrainians, delighted to be brought under Russian rule.