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the epidemic in Russia rapidly gathered momentum. The danger now is that the vote on the constitution will turn into a de facto referendum on Putin’s performance in tackling the epidemic.
Putin has tried to insulate himself from a possible disaster – Russia is now the third worst off country in the world in terms of the number of infections – by delegating responsibility to the regional governors, but by abdicating responsibility he has also lost the trust of the people, who generally see him as a tough and effective leader. Putin’s approval and trust ratings have dived to a two-decade low in recent polls.
The new bill passed on May 13 was passed in all three readings simultaneously and allows for a postal vote so can be held while the country remains on lockdown, which will last until at least the end of May in most regions.
The Central Elections Commission also has to sign off on the changes to make them valid.
“If we don’t pass this bill, we need to face the fact that in September many citizens will not be able to go to the polling stations because they will be obligated to comply with social-distancing rules,” the Mediazona news website quoted State Duma deputy Dmitry Vyatkin as saying.
2.6 ​ ​Russian population is moving west
Three decades after the fall of the Soviet Union Russia’s population starting to undo the legacy of central planning and moving west.
During Soviet times as part of Stalin and his successors central planning million-strong cities were built in the wastes of Siberia and beyond to tap the vast mineral resources that lay under the permafrost of the tundra. Stalin kicked the process off, populating these regions using the Gulag Archipelago to provide the labour, but many inmates stayed on after the camp system was dismantled in 50s to work in the mines and factories that had been set up.
During the Soviet era these facilities were maintained as the Politburo saw the source of Russia’s wealth and power as linked to its ability to tap the vast natural resources of the hinterland to the east of the Ural mountains that define the furthest border of Europe. the collapse of the Soviet Union didn't change the thinking and the government under Russian President Vladimir Putin has maintained those factories even if they are owned and run by oligarchs now.
However, the cost of keeping these cities running is high as few are connected to the “mainland,” as the local residents refer to the rest of Russia, by anything more than airplanes.
But with the coming of Putin’s prosperity and the easing of travel restrictions the young people born in these settlements are increasingly choosing to move west to the more hospitable European part of Russia, which is already home to some 80% of the population.
The process is also being driven by the companies in these mono-cities seeking to cut staff and rid themselves of the social obligations that come with a company town such as maintaining schools, shops and hospitals. However, pensioners and those not working at the local company have largely found themselves trapped. While many pensioners living the frozen wastes of Norilsk on Russia’s far northern coast would happily move to somewhere on the border of Ukraine and live off their dacha garden as they are unable to sell their apartments they are unable to buy a dacha in the European part of the country and so can’t move.
16​ RUSSIA Country Report​ June 2020 ​ ​www.intellinews.com