Kremlin prepares for presidential election with Putin's participation 

Russian media Kommersant reported the information citing sources close to the Kremlin.

The amendments to the Russian Constitution adopted in 2020 "reset" Putin's presidential term and made it possible for him to run for president in the 2024 and 2030 elections. Putin himself, who has been president since 2000 (with a break for 2008-2012), has not yet announced his intentions to participate in the election race.

"There are no clear outlines of the election programme’s ideological component yet, although it is assumed that it will be based on the theme of unity," Kommersant writes. The Kremlin intends to test various technologies and "meaningful ideas" for 2024 at the regional elections in the fall of 2023.

The Kommersant's sources note the programme will target a new stratum of society - those who took part in the war in Ukraine and their relatives; in addition, the Kremlin expects to engage the electorate in the recently annexed territories of 4 regions of Ukraine, believing that the elections will be held there.

The Verstka outlet also reported that the Kremlin "has moved to a new phase of preparation for the 2024 presidential election.” In particular, the authorities of Russian regions were ordered to prepare for the campaign. Their heads have been recommended to draw up lists of the most important social problems for residents that they must solve in the coming months, as well as "assess the Russians’ sentiments on social media and take measures to improve them.” Possible candidates, besides Putin, are members of the parties represented in the State Duma - all of them support the war.

Verstka also wrote, citing anonymous sources close to the authorities in Moscow and another unnamed region, that the Kremlin has recommended that the heads of Russian regions "as publicly as possible" visit the war zone in Ukraine before the regional elections in September. The recommendation concerns the heads of regions where election campaigns are to take place.