On March 10, thousands of Muscovites took to the streets for a fourth time in as many months to protest against fraudulent elections. Protesters held placards demanding ¡°Russia without Putin.¡± But this rally was smaller and quieter than previous anti-Putin protests.
The reason for the dwindling numbers of protesters is clear: On March 4, Putin won a third presidential term with nearly 64 percent of the vote. For now, Putin¡¯s grip on power remains firm.
To secure victory, Putin deployed three tried and tested tactics perfected over previous presidential campaigns: manipulating the media, maligning political opponents and mobilizing voters¡¯ fears and prejudices.
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