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With all political opposition eliminated and Russia firmly in the grip of what analysts call “mature authoritarianism,” the country prepares for a March presidential vote devoid of competition and, if the Kremlin has its way, ushers Vladimir Putin into another six-year term without surprises.
Prominent critics who could challenge Putin on the ballot are either in jail or abroad. Most independent media have been banned.
A court in Russia's Far East has refused to transfer to a less restrictive psychiatric clinic a Yakut shaman who became known across the country for his attempts to march to Moscow to drive President Vladimir Putin out of the Kremlin.
China’s partnership with Russia has been unbalanced in recent years, as Beijing grew more powerful.
For more than three decades, Moscow and Beijing have been incrementally strengthening their partnership. The growing number of potentially conflicting