AM Headlines: United Russia Prevails in Elections; Kadyrov, Milonov Keep Seats

LIVE UPDATES: Not surprisingly, the ruling party, United Russia, has overwhelmingly prevailed with 76% of the State Duma; the Communist Party, Zhirinovsky’s party and Just Russia have far fewer seats. No opposition party has cleared the 5% threshold to enter parliament, but candidates from Rodina and Civic Platform as well as one independent have obtained seats in single-mandate districts.

Welcome to our column, Russia Update, where we will be closely following day-to-day developments in Russia, including the Russian government’s foreign and domestic policies.

The previous issue is here.

Recent Analysis and Translations:

– What Has Ramzan Kadyrov Been Up To? Quietly Cultivating Regional and Kremlin Officials, Now He Meets with Putin
– RBC Publishes Report Sourced in FSB and Military on Wagner Private Military Contractor with 2,500 Fighters in Syria
– Russian Parliamentary Elections Round-Up: Open Russia’s Baronova Registered; Shevchenko Disqualified
– The Kremlin is Working Hard to Make Donald Trump President

UPDATES BELOW

AM Headlines: United Russia Prevails in Elections; Kadyrov, Milonov Keep Seats; Putin Plans to Bring Back KGB

2016-09-19 12:58:12

The ruble is trading at 64.57 to the dollar and 72.10 to the euro. Brent crude is selling for $46.37 per barrel.

The following headlines are from Novaya Gazeta and Kommersant 

– CEC Reports Preliminary Election Results:  United Russia Prevails, Followed by Communists, Zhirinovsky, Just Russia

– CEC Reports Preliminary Allotment of Duma Seats: United Russia (76%); Communists (9%); Zhirinovsky (8%); Just Russia (5%)

– Candidates from Rodina, Civic Platform and Independent Vladislav Reznik Win Single-Mandate Seats

– First Independent Candidate Vladislav Reznik from Adygey Wins State Duma Seat

– Record Low Turn-out of 48% in Russian Elections

– Kadyrov Remains Leader of Chechnya with 97% of Votes So Far – Ballots Still Being Counted

– Anti-Gay MP Vitaly Milonov Keeps Seat in St. Petersburg Legislature

– Dyomin Wins Governor’s Sea in Tula Region

– Khodorkovsky Satisifed With Candidates Supported by Open Russia – More Than 100,000 Votes Even If They Lost

– Kudrin Committee Explains 10% Gap in Exit Polls

– Election Annulled at Rostov Precinct Where Ballot-Box Stuffing Detected

– CEC Threatens to Annul Altai Vote 

– Putin Says Elections Prove Citizens’ Response to ‘Attempts to Destabilize Russia from Within’

– Putin Plans Reform of Intelligence to Combine Federal Security Service and Federal Protection Service into Ministry of State Security; Virtual Return of KGB

– Prosecutor Asks for 2 Years’ Labor Colony for Blogger Anton Nossik

What We’re Reading

– The Real Power of Putin by Banjamin Nathans (review of 9 books) [English]

– Russia and the OSCE: Anatomy of a Takedown by Melissa Hooper [English]

– Why the Opposition Lost by Ivan Davydov [Russian] 

– ‘Not a Single People is So Susceptible to Influence and Persuasion’: 16 Thoughts of French Envoy to Petrograd (1914-1917) by Kommersant [Russian]

– ‘There’s a Fire. I Can’t Get Out. Sorry…”  (On warehouse fire in which 17 Kyrgyz and Russian women died). By Ali Feruz [Russian]

— Catherine A. Fitzpatrick