Kremlin think tank prepares excuses for United Russia's poor results ahead of September elections

Russia's presidential administration and its think tank EIS held an All-Russian Electoral Expert Forum in Moscow on May 23-24. The forum revealed growing concerns over potential poor results for United Russia, with officials already preparing to blame 'hostile black propaganda' for any disappointing outcomes.

Russia's presidential administration political bloc and its affiliated think tank EISI convened an All-Russian Electoral Expert Forum at the Senezh Management Workshop in Moscow on May 23–24. The Kremlin regularly uses this venue for gatherings of federal and regional officials, as well as training programmes run by the ANO 'Russia — Land of Opportunity' organisation.

Internet Blockades Threaten E-Voting

One of the key issues raised at the forum was the practical impossibility of conducting electronic voting during the September elections if internet blockades remain in place. Officials acknowledged that the ongoing restrictions on internet access create a fundamental contradiction: the authorities have invested heavily in promoting online voting as a modern, convenient tool, yet those same digital infrastructure controls make the system unworkable in practice.

Pre-emptive Blame Game

Perhaps more revealing than the technical concerns was the political messaging being rehearsed behind closed doors. According to sources familiar with the forum's discussions, the presidential administration's strategists are already preparing explanations for potentially weak results for United Russia in the upcoming regional and parliamentary elections. Poor showings, they have indicated, will be attributed to what officials are calling 'black hostile propaganda' — a pre-emptive framing designed to deflect any public accountability for genuine voter dissatisfaction.

The forum underscores the Kremlin's anxieties about maintaining the appearance of electoral legitimacy while simultaneously controlling information flows and suppressing independent political activity. By gathering regional officials and loyal experts in Senezh, the presidential administration appears to be aligning its messaging apparatus ahead of what could be a difficult electoral cycle for the ruling party.