A nation must think before it acts.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that he will seek reelection next year. Although it is commonly understood that the March 2018 Russian presidential elections will be a mere technicality as Putin is practically guaranteed to win, the pre-election period will still include a number of unknown factors. Will Putin make an effort to create an actual election platform which will promise reforms and improved quality of life for Russians? Will he continue to count on his foreign adventures to serve as popularity stunts and examples of his many accolades? Will the Russian people, although dissatisfied with growing poverty and diminishing access to social services at home, quietly opt for more of the same in the name of safety and stability? And finally, what will happen to the opposition movements and the masses of disillusioned young protesters throughout Russia? Early months of 2018 will surely reveal answers to these pressing questions and thus shape Russia’s near future.