On Sunday, Russian voters go to the polls to elect a new president in a new environment. During the last few months, Russia has seen its biggest protests since the fall of the Soviet Union. As the election nears, the country has mobilized an unprecedented number of voting monitors. Though Russians are likely to get another Putin presidency, it’s increasingly obvious that many voters are looking for something different.
Stephen F. Cohen, professor emeritus of Russian studies at New York University, discusses the shifts in Russian politics. He’s the author of Failed Crusade: America and the Tragedy of Post-Communist Russia.