What they did in 1996 was bar Yeltsin's opposition (that is, the CPRF) from the electronic media and threaten that, if the CP won, there would either be a return to Stalinism (a bullshit threat; the CPRF are social democrats) or a civil war (a real possibility). Even so, Zyuganov almost won. In fact, he may actually have won --there is good reason to suspect that the votes were fiddled with.
Chris Doss The Russia Journal
- -Is there proof of such a massive fraud?
Alexandre Fenelon
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Not "proof," so far as I know. It is widly alleged however.
Now, there is massive evidence of election fraud in the regions during the 2000 elections, probably mainly because of regional governments trying to get in good with the Kremlin.
Chris Doss The Russia Journal