When Russia goes to the polls next week, Vladimir Putin will be backed by an operation that will have cost nearly £1bn to shape public opinion and boost turnout as he seeks a public mandate for his war in Ukraine and continued rule as Russia’s potential president-for-life.
Internal Kremlin documents leaked to the Estonian outlet Delfi and shared with other media organisations, including the Guardian, detail how the administration has pumped money into a network of NGOs and companies to create media content such as films and Telegram channels, conduct secret polling, organise youth festivals and establish new media in the occupied territories of Ukraine, which are expected to provide hundreds of thousands more votes for Putin.
