NYT editorial: Kicking Democracy’s Corpse in Russia

Look into the eyes of Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, and what you see is a K.G.B.-trained mind that apparently cannot tolerate leaving any detail of an election to chance.

What else could explain the latest ugly twist in Russia’s rigged presidential election: the forced withdrawal of former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov for allegedly invalid signatures on his nominating petitions?

Most people who manipulate elections usually try to pretend otherwise. Mr. Putin does not even bother. Even though he, or a chosen proxy, could easily have won a fair election, he was not about to take the chance.

Critics and potential rivals now understand that if they challenge him they face legal harassment and perhaps even physical danger. Independent news outlets have been systematically stifled.

The results were evident in last month’s parliamentary elections, judged to be far from free and fair by European monitors. Mr. Putin’s party claimed it won nearly two-thirds of the vote.

(Continued here.)