The rapid rise of Russia’s ruthless cyber tyranny

Few Russians were surprised when United Russia, the political party of Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin establishment, secured a landslide victory in last week’s parliamentary elections. United Russia won nearly 50% of the vote, comfortably retaining a two-thirds majority in the State Duma (parliament).

Putin needed his party to retain a supermajority in order to enact amendments to the constitution. Earlier this year, the ex-KGB officer signed a law allowing him to run for two more six-year terms — a move that could keep Putin in power until 2036.