The people of Russia are going to the polls this week not to elect a new leader - President Vladimir Putin's current mandate runs for another four years - but, rather, in order to change the Russian Constitution so that Mr Putin can continue to be re-elected for decades to come.
The outcome of the referendum is not in doubt: Printed copies of the new version of the Constitution with all the proposed amendments included have already gone on sale in Moscow's bookshops.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Read the full story and more at $9.90/month
Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month
ST One Digital
$9.90/month
No contract
ST app access on 1 mobile device
Unlock these benefits
All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com
Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device
E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you